1st LD Writethru: Over 130 inmates escape after armed men raid prison in southern Philippines

Armed men believed connected to a Muslim rebel group stormed a jail facility in North Cotabato in the southern Philippines early on Wednesday and freed about 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.

Bungat confirmed that 132 out of their 1,511 inmates managed to escape.

"It's well planned. Escapees used blanket as their getaway. There's ongoing clearing operation. We have manhunt operation," he said.

Bungat said Commander Derbie belongs to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

"We have no idea right now if there were any high profiles in the 132 inmates that escaped. We are still accounting our prisoners," he said.

In August last year, three inmates facing charges of illegal possession of explosives and illegal drugs also escaped from the same jail facility.

In 2009, three "high-profile" criminals behind the shopping mall bomb attack in 2007 also escaped from the jail in Amas.

On Feb. 3, 2007 an armed group attacked the same jail, freeing 49 inmates most of them high-profile criminals. Endit