1 dead, 3 hurt as rebels raid Samar jail

Members of the New People’s Army (NPA) attacked a jail in Catbalogan City, Samar, early Saturday, leaving a detainee dead, three jail guards injured, and carting away at least six firearms, police said.

Senior Supt. Nolasco Bathan, Samar provincial police director, said about 30 rebels carried out the attack at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) facility in Brgy. Lagundi around 3:30 a.m.

The rebels blew up a hole into the jail’s perimeter fence with an “improvised explosive device” so they could enter, he said.

“‘Yung pader mismo pinasabog nila. Malaki ang butas, dun sila pumasok. Maganda actually ‘yung pader ng facility, hindi basta-basta mapapasok, pero ayun pinasabugan nila ng IED,” Bathan said by phone.

Once inside, the rebels fired guns, killing inmate Roy Yangzon and wounding jail guards JO1 Mark de Guzman, JO2 Ismael Palajos and SJO3 Edwin Tolibas, he said.

Supt. Carlito Abriz, Catbalogan City police chief, said the attack lasted for about an hour as the jail guards tried to fight the rebels off.

Investigation also indicated that the rebels let Yangzon out of his cell then killed him, Abriz said.

The rebels also took an M16 rifle, a .38-cal. revolver, .9mm- cal. pistol and three shotguns from the facility before withdrawing toward a mountainous area, Bathan said.

“Ganyan talaga, mga soft targets ang inaatake nila. Kung kami inatake nila napalaban sila. Hinahamon ko sila,” he said.

Elements of the Samar provincial police and the Army’s 8th Infantry Division were now pursuing the attackers, Bathan said.

It was not the first time for rebels to attack the jail in Lagundi.

On July 13, 2011, about 25 rebels also raided the facility, leaving one guard injured and seizing at least three firearms, two laptop computers and cash.