4 prisoners bolt Zamboanga jail

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Four prisoners, including a bombing suspect, bolted their cells early Saturday morning at a police camp in this city, an official said.

Investigation showed the inmates escaped through the ceiling of their detention cell’s comfort room, according to Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) regional director Mario Rariza Jr.

Pursuing policemen cornered the two fugitives but one of them was shot and killed while resisting arrest.

The slain fugitive was identified as Solaiman Muin, a suspect in the in May 13, 2009 bomb attack on the convoy of Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan in Patikul, Sulu.

Rariza has ordered a thorough probe on two guards on duty during the time of the escape.

One of the guards is an officer of the CIDG while the other is a policeman from the Zamboanga City Police Office, he said.

A manhunt operation is now ongoing to recapture the two other fugitives who remain at large. The two escapees have pending charges of illegal possession of firearms and carnapping, Rariza said. (Bong Garcia/Sunnex)