4 inmates killed in jail break attempt in southern Philippines

MANILA: SEPT. 26 – Jail guards killed four inmates in a shootout on Sunday after they tried to escape from a prison in the southern Philippines’ Surigao del Sur province, jail authorities said.

The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology said the incident occurred shortly before 7 a.m. local time when at least 11 inmates took hostage a jail staff preparing breakfast at the kitchen.

The bureau added that the inmates allegedly took the firearms of the jail personnel at the gate and used them to fire at the jail guards. One of the inmates allegedly stabbed a jail guard using a blunt improvised weapon.

An investigation into the incident is underway.

-Xinhua