Jail guard in trouble over escaped inmate

A jail guard is now in trouble after a Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center inmate he was escorting escaped after attending a hearing at the Palace of Justice yesterday morning.

Jail Warden Teofilo Labating said he gave SJOI Panfilo Aligato 24 hours to recapture inmate Arnold Abellana before sanctions are imposed on him.

Labating said he also requested the regional office of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology to relieve Aligato from BBRC while he is facing investigation.

Should he be found guilty, Aligato will be criminally charged with infidelity in securing a prisoner and would be administratively cited for negligence in the performance of duty.

A report received by Labating revealed that Aligato was among several inmates brought to the Palace of Justice yesterday morning for the hearing of their respective cases.

They were brought there by a Kaohsiung bus but after the hearing Aligato allegedly went back to BBRC ahead instead of going back with the inmates.

Abellana, a resident of Spolarium Street, barangay Duljo-Fatima, has been detained in BBRC since November 6, 2004 for possession of illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia. His case is still being heard by Judge Oscar Andrino.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña no longer seems affected by the recent escape.

Osmeña said the bolting of inmates is basically not due to inhumane conditions inside the jail but due to the corruption of the BJMP. - Ryan P. Borinaga with Mitchelle P. Calipayan