26 October 2005

 

Notorious drugs inmate bolts jail anew

LINGAYEN – Two provincial jail guards of Pangasinan are now in hot water in connection with the escape from their custody of a notorious drug dealer, with both local and international connections, whom they escorted to attend the trial of his case at the Regional Trial Court in Dagupan City last Wednesday.

Provincial Jail Guard II David Motas, 60, and Provincial Jail Guard I Renato Mendejar, 59, are now undergoing rigid questioning from joint investigators of the police and the National Bureau of Investigation following the escape of Jimmy Daru Lumna, alias “Larry Lumna” and “Jimmy Daru”, 56, a native of Marawi City but residing in Bonuan, Dagupan City. Provincial Administrator Virgilio Solis, Jr. said the two guards are likely to be charged with infidelity in the custody of a prisoner, separate from administrative charge that will be slapped on them.

It was the second time Lumna, a high profile prisoner of the Provincial Jail in Lingayen, escaped from his jail guards. The first was on Nov. 5, 2002, also after coming from the RTC branch in Dagupan City where he also attended the trial of his case.

Lumna, a former sergeant of the defunct Philippine Constabulary and with strings of cases of illegal drugs in Dagupan City, Lingayen and Manila, and also carnapping cases, was captured march 8, 2003 during a raid in a house in Quiapo, Manila by agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

Initial investigation showed that Lumna reportedly asked Motas and Mendejar to remove his handcuff in one hand to enable him to piss. And once they did, he ran away towards the adjacent Muslim community where he vanished.

The incident happened at 10 a.m. but the two guards only reported the matter to the Police Community Precinct in Bonuan at 11:40 a.m. and to their superior, Acting Provincial Jail Warden Rogelio Paglingayen at 1:30 p.m. that day.

Paglingayen took to task the two guards because it appears they were only three meters away from Lumna and apparently did not shoot him in the legs when they saw him already running away.

Motas was armed with a Cal. 9mm. pistol. Mendejar had his Cal. 38 service pistol.
The two guards brought Lumna to Dagupan City hours before by commuter bus because the only vehicle of the provincial jail was towed days before to the repair shop. Two teams were formed by Paglingayen, seven men to each time, to track down Lumna from where he is known to seek refuge, and to bring him back to prison within 15 days. (PNA)
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