Escaped drug suspect in Aklan surrenders

A drug suspect who escaped from police custody in Nabas, Aklan had finally handed himself in to authorities after three days of hiding.

The 44-year old Ranil Magcuha surrendered to Nabas town mayor James Solanoy in the morning of October 23 in Kalibo, Aklan.

“I convinced him to turn himself in after he contacted me. It is good that he surrendered to avoid harm in the police manhunt operations. He was alone when he surrendered to me,” the mayor added in a phone interview on Sunday.

Solanoy said he turned-over the drug suspect at around 11:30 a.m. to Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Flosemer Chris Gonzales of the Aklan Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.

“Dating police asset si Magcuha. Ang ibang drug suspects sa Nabas ay nadakip sa tulong niya sa mga buy-bust operations at nakakulong sa Aklan jail. It is hard for Magcuha to keep on hiding from the police,” Solanoy stressed.

Police said the suspect was re-arrested since the manhunt operation is ongoing. The Nabas police effect the arrest of Magcuha at the Aklan Provincial Prosecutor's Office, ending the three-day intensified manhunt on the town's No. 1 drug personality.

Magcuha alias Padoy was tagged as top drug personality engaging in illegal drug activities prior to the buy-bust operation on October 19.  He was arrested after he allegedly sold a sachet of shabu to a police poseur buyer for P1,000.

Police also served a search warrant to Magcuha where seven small packs of shabu were seized in his house in Barangay Unidos, Nabas, Aklan at around 10:30 a.m.

The following day, Magcuha managed to escape at his temporary lock-up cell through a small hole on the wall past 5 a.m. unnoticed by Nabas duty police officers.

Police immediately launched a manhunt and sought help from people in their social networks for information leading to the arrest of Magcuha.

Two days ago, the Aklan Police Provincial Office (APPO) also formed a fact-finding team to investigate who among those on duty in Nabas municipal police station will be held responsible for the ‘escape’ incident.

A 48-hour ultimatum was also issued by APPO provincial director Senior Superintendent John Mitchell Jamili to Chief Inspector Belshazzar Villanoche and his men to recapture Magcuha. 

Jamili extended his deadline for 36 hours after Magcuha started to send surrender feelers to the police. 

Villanoche said the drug suspect was remitted to Aklan Rehabilitation Center in Barangay Nalook, Kalibo, Aklan after the inquest proceedings. Magcuha is facing charges for violations of Section 5 (selling) and Section 11 (possession) of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL