An inmate at the Leyte Provincial Jail in Kauswagan, Palo, Leyte had escaped about noon on January 11, using a white utility van as getaway car.
The suspect, identified as Byron Murillo, 39 years old and a resident of Bgy. San Diegom Alangalang, Leyte, was facing multiple charges of estafa.
The vehicle used by the escapee was later found hastily parked and abandoned in front of the Tacloban Volunteer Fire Brigade headquarters.
Leyte Provincial Jail officials had confirmed the incident, even as a team was dispatched to conduct hot pursuit operation.
A highly reliable report exclusively obtained by Opinyon 8 said Byron was brought by his escorts to the Regional Trial Court in Tacloban City for a hearing of his case.
Sources told OpinYon 8 that as Byron was about to be transported back to the jail, he reportedly asked his escorts to give him and his wife a minute inside the white van for a closed-door talk.
It was then that he managed to get hold of the car and quickly speed away with his wife, away from his unsuspecting and overly trusting escorts identified as jail guards Remegio Murillo, Winston Lesiguez and leader Jerry Petilla.
Byron then dropped his wife at the old Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center (EVRMC).
Meanwhile, Leyte Provincial Jail Warden Brendo Gamez said he will have the incident immediately investigated and find if the guards - particularly Murillo, who happened to be Byron's uncle - have something to do with the incident.
Gamez said the guards will likely be facing administrative charges for gross neglect of duty, if not necessarily being accomplices of the inmate's successful escape.