Over 130 Inmates Escape After Armed Men Raid Prison in the Philippines 

Cotabato City (The Philippines): Armed men believed to be connected to a Muslim rebel group stormed a jail facility in North Cotabato in the Philippines early on Wednesday and freed at least 132 inmates, officials said.

Supt. Peter Bungat, warden of Amas of Kidapawan District jail, told radio station that gunmen led by a certain Commander Derbie opened fire at his men guarding the facility around 1.00 a.m. local time, leaving one of his men dead and another wounded, Xinhua news agency reported.

Bungat said Commander Derbie belongs to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and confirmed that 132 out of their 1,511 inmates managed to escape.

Supt. Peter Bungat, warden of Amas of Kidapawan District jailIt’s well planned. Escapees used blanket as their getaway. There’s ongoing clearing operation. We have manhunt operation. We have no idea right now if there were any high profiles in the 132 inmates that escaped. We are still accounting our prisoners.

Kidapawan police chief Superintendent Leo Ajero said two prisoners of the 132 who escaped had been recaptured, and army troops and police were searching for the others. The jail held more than 1,500 inmates.

We heard the gunfire and we sprang into action to guard our village...

Local village leader Alexander Austria told The Associated Press by telephone that he and his men captured one of the men. He said the exchanges of gunfire woke his village, which was several kilometers (miles) from the prison, and he immediately posted guards because of worries the attackers and escaped inmates could enter the village.

"We heard the gunfire and we sprang into action to guard our village," Austria said. "We were afraid the escapees could try to enter our village to hide or take hostages."

--IANS