The body of a patient of the Talay Rehabilitation Center, now known as the Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital Psychiatric Ward, believed killed in a road mishap was found Sunday evening, in Barangay Talay, Dumaguete City.

Gerry Torete, 23, single, of Escaget, Sibulan town, had earlier escaped from his isolation cell at the psychiatric ward by destroying the padlock while his father, Salvador, had left to buy medicines. His cousin, Belen Pastidio, reported Torete's escape from the psychiatric ward at 1 p.m., Sunday, and efforts to locate him proved futile.

The family was told late in the evening that Torete was bumped by an unidentified vehicle and died instantaneously.

He was brought to the NOPH morgue.

Records indicated that Torete had been in and out of the NOPH psychiatric ward for being violent. He had mauled his father the last time he was brought to the ward, records added.

Meanwhile, four juveniles are facing charges for allegedly robbing two boarders. They were arrested Sunday at the Capitol Area, in Dumaguete City.

The suspects were identified as Angelito Lumbay, 18, of Batinguel; Angelo Apostol, 20, of Motong; Junrick Mira, 19, of Taclobo; and a 17-year-old Batinguel.

They were nabbed by police operatives a few hours after robbing two boarders at the Ozoa Apartment, Capitol Area. The victims were Novee Anne Albalos, of Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental; and Rochet Casaba, 19, from Mabinay town.

Lumbay and Apostol, admitted the crime, saying the four of them had planned to snatch the cellphones of the victims. Mira, however, denied involvement in the robbery.*JG/RG

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