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Manila: The armed forces on Friday launched a search for a renegade marine officer, who allegedly took part in a dramatic escape during a court hearing on Thursday.
Armed Forces Chief Gen Hermogenes Esperon said during a briefing the search is for Nick Faeldon and several other soldiers who had allegedly joined the daring escape.
"We are looking for him, the manhunt is on. He has done it before, we hope we can rearrest Faeldon and several others who might have joined him in the escape undetected," Esperon said. Faeldon, 34, had taken advantage of the confusion generated by the police and military siege at the Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati City on Thursday afternoon when he sprang his breakout.
Esperon said Faeldon, a key member of the Magdalo armed faction, had bolted from detention twice in the past. He escaped in December 2005 but was recaptured in January 2006.
Missing
The top military official said like Faeldon, most of those who had taken part in the Manila Peninsula Hotel incident are discharged soldiers identified with the Magdalo faction. "It had been observed most of the participants [in the hotel incident] were discharged soldiers" who were members of Magdalo armed band," he said. Faeldon's lawyer Trixie Angeles said her client had been missing since Thursday evening.
Aside from Faeldon, others who took part in the walkout were Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and Brig Gen Danilo Lim. Trillanes, Lim as well as the others, were re-arrested and taken into custody after a six-hour-long siege at the Manila Peninsula Hotel.
Esperon said as a result of the incident the military will institute changes in securing detained soldiers during court hearings.
- With inputs from Rafael Juan
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