Inmate escapes from jail

An inmate facing a parricide case bolted from the Provincial Jail in Bacolod City Monday night.

Domingo Panuncial had been detained for almost two years at the Provincial Jail, for allegedly killing his live-in partner in San Carlos City, several years ago. Investigations show that Panuncial climbed the wall of the jail compound. Jail guards on duty, especially those assigned at the watch towers, apparently failed to see him.

Provincial Jail Guard 1 Edgar Alegarbes who was on duty at the jail barracks where Panuncial and 100 other inmates are staying, was ordered by jail warden Marcus Ybañez to explain the escape of the prisoner. Gov. Joseph Marañon yesterday said he will order an investigation of some provincial guards for being lax in doing their tasks.

Alegarbes has joined other provincial guards in the search for Panuncial.*GPB

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Task force on
summary slays created

The Commission on Human Rights has created a task force to speed up the resolution of extra-judicial killings to give justice to the victims.

CHR provincial officer Romeo Baldevarona yesterday said the task force is composed of investigators and lawyers of CHR who will handle the investigation, filing and monitoring of cases, related to extra-judicial killings. The Bacolod Regional Trial Court Branch 48 presided over by Judge Gorgonio Ybañez in Negros Occidental was earlier designated by the Supreme Court to handle extra-judicial killings involving militant activists.

Baldevarona said they may pull out cases of extra-judicial killings that had already been filed in other courts, for transfer to the sala of Ybañez.

The CHR has recorded 39 cases of extra-judicial killings in the province from 2001 up to February this year, with policemen topping the list as suspects, closely followed by the Philippine Army and members of the rival breakaway rebel factions.

Baldevarona said the investigation of extra-judicial killings will no longer be limited to the determination of the existence of human rights violation, filing of criminal and administrative charges, but will also look into the economic-socio and economic status of the victims.

CHR investigators have been given five days to complete their investigation of extra-judicial killings, which are aimed at fast-tracking the solution of cases.

Baldevarona said P25 million has been allocated for the training of CHR investigators and the purchase of equipment and other logistical requirements needed by the task force. Human rights group Karapatan claimed it has documented more than 800 extra-judicial killings after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assumed power in 2001.*GPB

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