Tip from concerned citizen foils carnap try in Tacurong, re-arrest of jail escapee, death to another

TACURONG CITY,
Jan 24 -- An escapee from South Cotabato provincial jail was killed in a
shootout with government forces and another escapee was rearrested following
police operations here Wednesday morning.

Senior Supt. Raul
Supiter, Sultan Kudarat police provincial director, said Andy Evangelista who
escaped from the provincial jail was killed while his companion, another
escapee, identified as a certain Mando, was nabbed in police follow-up pursuit
operations.

Supiter said
at 6:30 Tuesday evening, the Tacurong City PNP headed by Supt. Jeofil Siason,
received a tip from concerned citizen about the plan of two escapees to carnap
a motorbike in Barangay La Bodera, Tacurong City. They bolted the South
Cotabato provincial jail on January 15.

A team
composed of elements from city police, highway patrol group and Joint Task
Force Talakudong (Tacurong) was dispatched to place where the two were
sighted on board a motorbike.

But as the
lawmen were approaching, Evangelista pulled his pistol and opened fire on
government forces, triggering a brief exchange of bullets.

Supiter said
the duo managed to escape toward Sitio Baladsikan, Barangay San Pablo, also in
this city, leaving a motorbike and blooded sweat shirts, an indication they
were injured.

Supiter said
the recovered motorbike was recorded as carnapped vehicle in Norala, South
Cotabato on January 20.

At past 6 a.m. Wednesday, pursuing lawmen arrested the injured Mando in Purok Malipayon, Barangay
San Emmanuel, Tacurong City. At 8:15 a.m., police also arrested Evangelista who
was critically injured.

Supiter said Evngelista was rushed to Salayog Hospital but later declared by attending physicians as
dead on arrival.

Supiter lauded
the concerned citizen who alerted the police about the escapees plot to seize a
motorbike which led to the recovery of a carnapped motorcycle, death of escapee
and the re-arrest of another.