MANILA, Philippines -- Four officials from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-National Capital Region (CIDG-NCR) have been placed “under probation” as the police began its investigation into the circumstances that led to the mysterious escape of a suspect-turned-state witness under their custody.

The four, led by Senior Inspector Ariel Macalalay, were neither relieved nor suspended, despite Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez call Monday, said CIDG-NCR spokesman Felix Vargas in a phone interview with INQUIRER.net Tuesday.

Vargas said Macalalay was reportedly the one watching Ikram Indama prior to his alleged escape.

Senior Superintendent Erickson Velasquez, former CIDG-NCR director, filed a 10-day leave on Monday to pave the way for a “fair and open investigation” on the incident, despite stressing that Indama was a suspect and his choice to leave was “voluntary on his part.”

Meanwhile, Vargas said CIDG personnel were trying to get in touch with Indama's family in the province.

“[CIDG chief-of-staff Asher] Dolina has the [cell phone] number of Indama's wife and they've been trying to contact her,” Vargas said.

CIDG-NCR has also created an investigation team to “exhaust all means” to find and contact Indama, he added.

Vargas said they would “try convince Indama to come back” into CIDG custody and determine the cause of his alleged escape.

Police have secured piers and airports to make sure Indama would not leave Metro Manila.

Vargas also chose not to comment on Gonzalez's criticisms against the CIDG-NCR.

Indama, an alleged member of the Abu Sayyaf Group and a star witness in the November 2007 bombing at the House of Representatives in Quezon City where at least four people, including Congressman Wahab Akbar, were killed and several others were wounded, escaped at 6 a.m. Monday.