1 dead, 12 hurt as Bilibid prisoners brawl over ‘cara y’ cruz’

FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—One inmate was killed and 12 others injured when a squabble between rival gangs over a coin game broke inside the New Bilibid Prison late Tuesday, an official said.

The incident occurred inside the Maximum Security Prison building of the Philippines’ main insular penitentiary in Muntinlupa City, NBP Superintendent Venancio Tesoro said in a phone interview.

Sonny Sarsuelo died after sustaining a gunshot wound caused by an improvised firearm locally known as “sumpak,” Tesoro said.

Inmates Richard Lomibao, Ramil Joseph and John Escobar suffered stab wounds and were taken to the Philippine General Hospital. The rest of the victims sustained minor injuries.

Three injured inmates remain at the NBP hospital.

Tesoro said an argument over coin game cara y’ cruz among friends triggered the deadly row. One of the inmates fired warning shots triggering a rumble  between members of the Sputnik and Happy Go Lucky gangs.

As a precaution, visitation privileges inside the Maximum Security compound have been indefinitely cancelled, he said.

A thorough inspection of cells will be conducted and a temporary lockdown of Building 3 will be made to ensure that the conflict will not spill over into the other buildings of the prison facility, said Tesoro.

Originally posted: 10:19 am | Wednesday, October 9th, 2013