8 inmates, including Sayyaf member, kill guard, bolt Basilan jail

ZAMBOANGA CITY—Eight inmates of the Basilan provincial jail overpowered and killed a jail guard during their escape on Tuesday (Oct. 13).

Lt. Col. Homer Dumalag, police chief of Isabela City in Basilan, identified the slain jail guard as Asbi Florencio Asbi.

In a report to the Western Mindanao regional police office, Dumalag said Asbi  was trying to prevent the inmates’ escape but was overpowered. He was shot and killed with his own service firearm.

Dumalag said the jailbreak took place past 5 p.m. The facility is at the village of Sumagdang in Isabela City.

The escapees are now being hunted, according to Dumalag.

Col. Domingo Gobway, commander of the Army’s Joint Task Force Basilan, said the military would help police hunt the escapees especially since one of them was in jail for seven counts of murder.

Gobway identified the escaped inmate as Hassan Lahaman, a member of the Abu Sayyaf, and a native of Bohe Ibu village in Lamitan City, also in Basilan province.

TSB