Wednesday, June 21, 2006 (Philippines)

The holding cell where five of 12 inmates were+ el;ectrocuted by a live wire. Left: survivor Joseph Arepal, 22, looks at the pictures of the casualties. (Sunstar photo/Amper Campaña) Five inmates suffered terribly for their crimes. They were electrocuted in their sleep after a live wire touched the iron bars of their holding cell in Cebu City’s Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center (BBRC) yesterday dawn. A top City Hall official said the accident further emphasized the need to transfer inmates from the BBRC—built for 250, but which now houses over 2,600—to a newer prison in Barangay Kalunasan. An electrician also recommended rewiring the entire prison, bearing in mind the power demand from the inmates’ electric fans. [full story]