Leader of armed tribesmen in S. Philippines bolts from jail

Davao city (Philippines), Apr 23 (Xinhua-ANI): Philippine police have intensified the manhunt against two suspects in the high- profile kidnapping of teachers and students almost three years ago escaped from a southern Philippine prison on Sunday, authorities said on Monday.

Joebert Perez, 33, and Babring Tejero, 35, bolted from the Tandag City district jail, in Mindanao's Surigao del Sur province in the early hours of Sunday, according to Martin Gamba, spokesperson of Caraga regional police office.

Perez who was facing kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges, was the leader of armed Manobo tribesmen who snatched at gunpoint some 75 teachers and students of a village school in La Purisima village, Prosperidad town, in Agusan del Sur province on Dec. 10, 2009. Tejero was also facing kidnapping and robbery cases.

"Initial investigation revealed the suspects sawed off the steel bars at the back portion of their detention cell, climbed through the concrete fence near the visiting area and leaped out of the facility unnoticed," Gamba said, adding their escape was only discovered when jail personnel conducted a head count.

Perez's escape came just a month after his relative, 18-year old Regie Perez alias Ken-Ken escaped from the regional rehabilitation center for youth offenders in the regional capital of Butuan. The younger Perez was also arrested for pulling off a similar offense last year, also in Prosperidad. Ken-Ken surrendered to authorities weeks after his escape. (Xinhua-ANI)