Jailguard kills fleeing inmate

ILOILO CITY,Philippines — A jailguard of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology-Region 6 was put under restriction after he shot dead a prisoner who tried to escape from a jail in Barotac Viejo town of Iloilo.

Investigation was also done to ascertain the administrative and criminal culpability, if any, of Jail Officer 1 Exequiel Bañez of the District Jail at sitio Pal-ac in Brgy. Poblacion of Barotac Viejo town.

Senior Supt. Ignacio Pante, BJMP-6 regional director, also ordered the relief of Bañez’s direct superior, BVDJ warden, Senior Inspector Pricel Arevalo, and another duty jailguard.

SJO1 Leo Lacerna, BJMP-6 investigator, said Bañez has yet to give his statement on the death of Rizaldy Alemania, a BVDJ inmate charged under Criminal Case No. 2011-5136 for robbery with homicide and frustrated homicide.

Initial report stated that Alemania was reported missing following a headcount at 5 p.m. last Monday. The inmates were about to be brought to their prison cells after their sunning activity when Alemania sneaked out from the ranks of his fellow inmates and scaled the perimeter fence.

Bañez and JO2 Arthur Pramo, who was already off duty, scoured the facility and its environs looking for Alemania, who was later caught up some 400 meters from the jail compound.

It was not known yet what took place prior to the shooting episode. Bañez reportedly brought the wounded Alemania to the hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. (FREEMAN)