Inmate flees after beer joust with jailguard

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya — An inmate here escaped while having a drinking spree with a fellow inmate and a jail guard early this week at a beer joint in Solano town, about 5 km from here where the escapee was being detained.

Benzon Cadiente, provincial jail warden, said that Joseph Banatlao, who has pending robbery and carnapping cases here, escaped while he and his two companions were having a drinking session at a videoke bar in Solano.

Cadiente identified Banatlao’s drinking buddies during her escape as Romeo Gacayan, a fellow inmate, and the jail guard as Arturo Cutaran.

He said Banatlao slipped from his jail escort through the bar’s backdoor while Cutaran and Gacayan were drinking and singing.

Cadiente admitted he was not aware that his jail guards allowed the two inmates to go outside the jail premises, especially to allow them to have their drinking spree with jail personnel.

Cadiente said Banatlao was allowed by the jail guard on duty to go out with Gacayan supposedly to buy personal needs at about 6 p.m. Tuesday with Cutaran as their escort.

Cadiente, however, said that the guards on duty would have to explain why the inmates were allowed to get out of the jail compound.

He said that inmates were only permitted to go outside during emergency cases or upon approval by the court, but with authorized escorts.

But an inmate who asked not be identified disclosed that jail guards are regularly doing this with moneyed inmates. — Charlie Lagasca