ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Three persons – two inmates and a jail guard – were killed while eight others were wounded when detainees tried to break out of the Siocon town jail in Zamboanga del Norte Friday night.
Police identified the slain jail guard as Jail Officer 1 Ryanbel Bagun and the inmates as Ruel and Preciouso, both surnamed Humoc.
Among those wounded were Police Officer 3 Romel Jay Hachuela, Police Officer 1 Paul Tomboc, Jail Officer 2 Roldan Felizarta, Jail Officer 1 Patric Galvez and inmates Reneboy Humoc, Lito Magsayo, Ryllmark Canonio and Zenaid Insu.
Reports said Bagun was escorting an inmate back to his cell when one of the detainees grabbed his firearm and shot him just before 8 p.m.
Chief Superintendent Edgar Basbas, Police Regional Office 9 director, said the inmates engaged the other jail personnel and police officers from a nearby station in a firefight.
Soldiers and police officers from the Provincial Public Safety Co., prevented the inmates from escaping.
Basbas said the wounded were brought to a nearby hospital for treatment. He said the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology was investigating the incident.