BRIEFS. penal system

Guards face sanctions after escape

The director of Panama's penitentiary system, Luis Gordon, confirmed yesterday that three guards are the subject of a disciplinary inquiry in connection with last week's escape of an inmate facing murder charges.

Martin Wright Coto was recaptured Friday after escaping last Wednesday from El Renacer. The inmate kidnapped his infant son while on the lam, but was recaptured without incident.

The guards are being investigated because they allegedly acted negligently in allowing Coto to escape. One was on duty in a classroom, another was stationed in a tower while the third was at one of the prison's checkpoints.

Coto is being held on murder charges in the death of Ana Mercedes Medina in 2007. While in custody, he also provided investigators with information that led to two arrests being made in the 2006 murder of Damaris Mendoza.

Gordon said that Coto was returned to El Renacer on Saturday, but will probably be transferred to another facility with heavier security.

Coto is also a witness in the death of inmate Daniel Vela Rodríguez, which happened in October 2007 during an escape from La Joyita. For that reason, he was being held in El Renacer.