US national who escaped from BI detention cell recaptured

MANILA, Philippines—The Bureau of Immigration said on Sunday the Indonesian-American who bolted his detention cell at the agency’s field office in Davao City has been recaptured.

Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. said the Tigor Hasongan Siapanar was returned to the bureau’s detention jail in the city following his arrest on Thursday night by joint operatives of the BI and Davao City police.

David, in a statement, said Siapanar did not resist arrest when the arresting officers raided his safehouse on Madagascar Street, St. Vincent Heights, Mamay Road, Davao City.

He was recaptured three days after he escaped from detention by cutting the iron grills of the window in his cell with a steel saw.

Siapanar’s escape prompted David to relieve Maria Kiamco, BI-Davao alien control officer, pending investigation of the incident.

Lawyer Nimfa Edroso was designated officer-in-charge of the BI-Davao field office while Kiamco was directed to report to her mother unit at the bureau’s main office in Manila.

BI head executive assistant and lawyer Grace Lara said Edroso would remain as OIC as the BI officials dispatched to Davao to probe the incident have not submitted their report and recommendations.

Earlier, David directed Kiamco and some of her colleagues in the Davao office to explain why they should not be held administratively and criminally liable for Siapanar’s escape.

Records showed that Siapanar was turned over to the BI on January 11 after he was arrested by Davao policemen for illegal gun possession.

He was later slapped with a deportation case for being an undocumented and overstaying alien after a record check showed that he last arrived in the country on July 16, 2007, and never applied for an extension of his stay.

He could not be deported, however, due to several cases lodged against him before the courts, including attempted murder, domestic violence, child abuse and illegal drugs.