2 jail guards suspended for escape of ‘drug lord’

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — Two provincial jail guards were suspended for one year without pay for the escape of an alleged drug lord whom they were escorting to a court hearing in Dagupan City last year.

In an order dated Jan. 9, Gov. Victor Agbayani suspended prison guards David Motas and Renato Mendejar for gross neglect of duty, based on the findings of the fact-finding committee chaired by lawyer Virgilio Solis, provincial administrator.

On Oct. 19 last year, Motas and Mendejar were escorting Jimmy Lumna alias Larry "Daru" Lumna, considered a flight-risk inmate, to a hearing at the regional trial court (RTC) in Dagupan City when he escaped.

Lumna first escaped sometime in 2002 but was recaptured.

After the court hearing, Motas, Mendejar and Lumna were about to ride a passenger jeepney when Lumna sought permission to urinate.

The two jail guards brought Lumna to the back of a bank building near the justice hall and kept watch about five to 10 meters away from where Lumna supposedly urinated.

But Lumna suddenly ran toward the Muslim area in Bonuan Tondaligan and vanished. The two jail guards claimed that they even fired at him but missed.

Investigation showed that Lumna was not handcuffed when he was brought out of the justice hall.

The two jail guards admitted in their joint reply to the charges that Lumna managed to escape due to an honest and unintentional security lapse on their part.

Solis told The STAR that Motas and Mendejar may appeal their suspension. The provincial government has filed a separate criminal case against them with the Dagupan City RTC.