RECAPTURED. Francisco Epogon, believed to be a leader of the notorious Epogon robbery group in Negros Occidental, was arrested by joint police and jail operatives in Binalbagan town on Friday (July 23, 2021). He was among the five inmates who bolted the Negros Occidental District Jail in Bago City on June 29, 2021. (Photo courtesy of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office)
BACOLOD CITY – Another one of the five inmates who bolted the Negros Occidental District Jail in Bago City last month was recaptured by joint police and jail operatives in Barangay Amontay, Binalbagan town on Friday morning.
Francisco Epogon, believed to be a leader of the notorious Epogon robbery group, is facing charges for robbery with intimidation of person, and robbery with homicide.
Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP)-Western Visayas spokesperson Jairus Anthony Dogelio said in a media interview that Epogon will stay in a quarantine facility first before he will be brought back to jail.
A native of Barangay Isio, Cauayan town, Epogon was arrested at around 5 a.m. by intelligence operatives of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office together with personnel of Binalbagan and Isabela Municipal Police Stations, Negros Occidental Provincial Mobile Force Company, and BJMP Special Tactics and Response Team.
The Cauayan Municipal Police Station served a warrant of arrest to Epogon last June 21 at the house of his common-law-wife also in Cauayan.
In the morning of June 29, Epogon together with Marvin Celeste, of Sitio Tima, Barangay Gawahon, Victorias City; Danilo Celeste, of Barangay Timawa, Victorias City; Alejandro Montoya, of Barangay Tisol, Victorias City; and Daniel Tamon, of Barangay Kumaliskis, Don Salvador Benedicto; escaped from the jail located in Barangay Tabunan.
A day after, Marvin Celeste died while Tamon was recaptured during a manhunt operation in Barangay Blumentritt, Murcia town.
On July 2, Celeste’s brother Danilo was also killed when he resisted arrest in Sitio Arambulo, Barangay San Fernando, Talisay City.
In an earlier interview, Lt. Col. Eduardo Corpuz, chief of Victorias City Police Station, said the Celeste brothers are charged with violations committed in the city and the neighboring localities.
Of the five, only Montoya is still at-large. (PNA)
