Kalinga

Two detainees escape from Tabuk City police station; manhunt underway

By Mia Magdalena Fokno

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Police are conducting a manhunt after two persons under police custody (PUPC) escaped from the Tabuk City Police Station (TCPS) in Barangay Laya West in the early hours of January 4, 2026, authorities said.

According to police, the escape occurred between 2:30 a.m. and 4:15 a.m. The two escapees were identified by police as Andres Benito Jr., 35, and Michael Macagne, 39, both farmers and residents of Barangay Bulanao, Tabuk City. They were arrested on December 17, 2025 for alleged violations of Republic Act No. 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) and Republic Act No. 10591 (Comprehensive Fi****ms and Ammunition Regulation Act).

Initial investigation disclosed that a PUPC awakened by a loud noise from the rear portion of the detention area later noticed that two of his companions were missing. The matter was immediately reported to the duty jailer, who conducted a headcount and confirmed the absence of the two detainees. The incident was then relayed to the station’s Tactical Operations Center.

Police said the escapees allegedly cut the round bar rods of the jail cell and passed through the railings atop a concrete wall. They reportedly slipped through a small opening, dropped into an alley leading to the station’s first floor, and exited through the back door toward the provincial road.

During an ocular inspection, investigators recovered several items believed to have been used in the escape, including a hacksaw blade with a wooden handle found near a toilet bowl inside the detention facility, metal bar pieces recovered from the restroom, and a bolt cutter discovered in a nearby rice field.

A follow-up investigation is ongoing as TCPS personnel, led by PLtCol Jack Angog, chief of police of Tabuk City, continue pursuit operations to locate and recapture the escapees.

Police said coordination with other units is underway and that the case remains under investigation.

Authorities urged the public to remain vigilant and to report any information that may help in the immediate recapture of the escapees.

(The image used is an AI-generated photo illustration used for visual context and does not depict the actual scene.)