Thirteen inmates escaped from the Caloocan City Custodial Facility early Thursday but three have been recaptured by authorities, police said.

Caloocan City police said relatives of Aries Dunacao, 28, surrendered to police at 8:30 am while two were caught in a manhunt.

Aldwin Jhoe Espila was apprehended around 3:30 pm in Camarin and Mark Oliver Gamutia was corraled at 3:40 pm in Barangay Tonsuya, Malabon City.

Ten inmates remain at large.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Major General Debold Sinas ordered the relief of two duty jailers pending the result of the investigation by the Northern Police District (NPD).

"They are also required to inspect the extension facilities for other vulnerabilities," Sinas said.

Col. Dario Menor, Caloocan police chief, said the 13 inmates escaped around 1:30 am after they created a hole in the wall using concrete nails.

“The area was previously a basement room… They used concrete nails to destroy the wall… That is what according to the other PUPC (persons under police custody) who decided not to escape… It took them a long time to destroy it,” Menor told reporters.

He said inmates were making noises while destroying the wall.

Menor said out of the 13 escapees, only two were tested positive for COVID-19 via rapid test but tested negative in swab tests.

“The rest of 11 were declined by BJMP (Bureau of Jail Management and Penology) because of their health condition... some of them were thin, has coughs which manifest that they have weak health conditions,” Menor said.

Menor said the 11 inmates were awaiting their schedule for testing. The 13 inmates were in a temporary custodial facility as they had to be isolated for 21 days before they will be transferred to the BJMP.

Sinas ordered all chiefs of police and station commanders to inspect their respective lock-up cells and determine weak areas to prevent jailbreaks.

Menor said Caloocan police are eyeing filing criminal complaints against the two officers who were on duty when the jailbreak happened.

"There is an evasion through negligence. We will file it... they will be facing criminal charges. After we file the criminal charge, an administrative case will follow,” he said.

Menor appealed to the public to provide information for the recapture of the inmates as manhunt operations are going on. Ella Dionisio/DMS