BuCor revisits protocols after inmate’s foiled rescue

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) is reviewing its security policies after 11 armed men ambushed authorities to spring a detained Chinese inmate allegedly connected to a kidnapping group.

The assailants, led by Chinese nationals, opened fire at a Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) vehicle, which was transporting Hu Yang, 37, in Parañaque.

Hu was on his way back to the BJMP facility in Barangay La Huerta after attending a court hearing on his kidnapping case in Makati when the ambush occurred.

BuCor chief Gregorio Catapang Jr. has instructed jail officers to implement precautionary measures to prevent future security lapses.

“The review aims to identify vulnerabilities and implement more stringent protocols to safeguard the transport of high-risk detainees,” Catapang said.

The BuCor is no stranger to ambushes, as Catapang himself was the target of an assassination attempt along the Skyway on March 19, 2024.

Catapang has said that the incident may have been orchestrated by his predecessor, Gerald Bantag, who allegedly plotted the murder of radio broadcaster Percy Lapid in 2022.

Catapang, however, attributed the ambush to broader issues facing the BuCor.

“There are many threats,” Catapang said. “The BuCor is really facing many challenges that I can’t talk about. The problem in the bureau is really deep.”