16 Prisoners Break Out From Basilan Prison

BASILAN ISLAND (Mindanao Examiner / 20 Jul) – Police forces mounted a massive manhunt on the southern Filipino island of Basilan after 16 hardened criminals, including four Abu Sayyaf militants, bolted from the provincial jail before dawn.

“We have launched pursuit operations to recapture the prisoners,” said Chief Inspector Christopher Panapan, of the Basilan police force.

He said the prisoners destroyed the iron grill of their cell and escaped at around 3.50 a.m. “Four of those who bolted jail are members of the Abu Sayyaf. They are kidnappers,” he said.

Panapan did not say how many guards were there when the prisoners escaped. It was unknown whether the guards or jail warden have been sacked over the latest escape.

It was the second mass jailbreak in three years from the island’s overcrowded jail located in Isabela City.

In April 2004, police said 53 prisoners, among them 19 Abu Sayyaf terrorists, escaped from the provincial jail after a visitor smuggled a gun used in overpowering three guards. Eight of the escapees were killed and nine recaptured by responding soldiers and policemen. (Mindanao Examiner)

Hunt Is On For Escaped Prisoner

MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / 25 May) – Philippine jail authorities on Friday mounted a massive search for a prisoner who escaped from his escorts during a court hearing in Pasay City.

Armando Llamasares, chief of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, said they have dispatched a cracked team of hunters from the Special Tactics and Reaction (STAR) headed by Inspector Bernardino Edgar Camus to get back Wilfredo Rabacio.

Rabacio, arrested in 1995 on drug charges, escaped on Thursday.

He said Rabacio was previously detained at the Pasay City Jail but has been recently transferred to the Metro Manila District Jail (MMDJ) inside Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City after being suspected of selling illegal drugs to prisoners.

“How he was able to escape from his escort is now being investigated,” Llamasares told the Mindanao Examiner newspaper.

He said MMDJ warden Superintendent Edgar Bolcio and two other jail guards who escorted Rabacio have been placed under administrative restriction.

Llamasares directed jail wardens and personnel to be extra vigilant and keep a close watch over high-risk and high-profile inmates, especially those at the Metro Manila District Jail, where known Abu Sayyaf members are also detained.

And prisoners at the different jails in Manila, Pasay, Quezon City and other overcrowded facilities around the capital region to prevent any escape.

“You should tighten security in these jails to frustrate inmates’ attempt to create jail disturbance or escape,” Llamasares said. “We should learn lessons from previous jail escapes successfully carried out by inmates because of personnel’s complacency and laxity. Such attitude towards assigned tasks puts at risk jail security and personnel safety.” (Mindanao Examiner)

Rebels Raid Davao Prison, Takes Whole Armory!

DAVAO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 08 Apr) – New People’s Army rebels raided a southern Philippine prison facility and carted away assorted weapons, authorities said.

Authorities said the rebels, armed with automatic weapons, swooped down on the prison in Davao DEL Norte’s Panabo town early Saturday and disarmed the guards and then raided the armory.

There were no reports of killings and the rebels, disguised as government soldiers, escaped in vans after the raid.

It was not immediately known if there were prisoners taken during the escape, but security forces have launched a massive pursuit operation to capture the raiders.

The reports did not say how many rebels were involved in the raid.

Gregorio Rosal, a rebel spokesman, confirmed the raid and said it was carried out by NPA soldiers under the Merardo Arce Command.

“The Communist Party of the Philippines and the entire revolutionary movement congratulate the New People's Army-Merardo Arce Command (NPA-MAC) for the successful raid on the Davao Penal Colony (Dapeco) in the early hours of April 7.“

“Without firing a single shot, NPA Red fighters were able to totally control the area and within 20 minutes haul in 101 assorted firearms, including 50 M16 and Carbine rifles from the Dapeco's armory. It was one of the biggest NPA arms hauls from the enemy in recent years,” he said.

Rosal said the large cache will arm more than a hundred new recruits into the NPA waiting for arms to join the next tactical offensives. He also urged rebel forces to carry out more offensives in the country.

The NPA is fighting the past three decades for the establishment of a Maoist state in the Philippines. (With a report from Romy Bwaga)