EDITORIAL - Dereliction of duty

Strike out one escapee from that growing list of jailbirds who have broken free. Abdul Basit Usman was initially touted by the Philippine National Police as a principal suspect in the bombing of the Fitmart shopping center in General Santos City last April 21. He was considered such a prize catch that he was even presented to President Arroyo for a photo op shortly after his arrest on July 21 by cops led by Superintendent Willie Dangane, police chief of Sarangani province.

Last Oct. 23, Usman walked out of the Sarangani police headquarters, leaving the cops scratching their heads. We say "walk out" because the PNP is now saying that Usman was never placed under arrest and therefore could not have been a detainee, and thus could not have escaped. That's according to the PNP chief himself, Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., who went to Sarangani yesterday.

Ebdane said Judge Antonio Lubao of the regional trial court in General Santos refused to issue an arrest warrant for Usman, saying the suspect's real name had not been clearly established. That was three months ago. How long does it take to establish an identity and issue an arrest warrant? It took Lubao five days – after Usman had left the Sarangani police headquarters – to finally issue the warrant. So now the cops are free to find Usman again – if they can. And because no one escaped, no jailer can be punished. The relief order for Usman's custodian, Chief Inspector Aucelyto Cabang, would be recalled, Ebdane said. Should we relieve and lock up the judge instead for dereliction of his duty?

Such incidents guarantee public support for any legislative measure that would increase penalties for any person in authority found responsible for the escape of detainees. One measure proposes life imprisonment as punishment for the jailer. That seems a bit too much, especially if the escapee is a minor offender such as an accused pickpocket. But with the escapes of the Pentagon gang's Faisal Marohombsar, accused drug trafficker Henry Tan and two Abu Sayyaf murder suspects, and now the "departure" of Usman, you can understand why lawmakers are crying for blood.