SEVEN persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) barricaded themselves inside the Lapu-Lapu City Jail in Barangay Mactan past 12 p.m. Friday, March 13, 2026, causing a six-hour standoff that disrupted 172 other inmates.
Following the incident, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) 7 announced plans to intensify security measures. These include stricter inspections of items brought into the jail and tighter monitoring of visitors and cells to prevent similar disruptions in the dormitory, which houses more than 1,200 male PDLs.
Samuel Manas Jr., chief of the BJMP 7’s Community Relations Service Section, said in a phone interview Monday, March 16, that the incident unfolded in the male dormitory of the Solid 1 building.
The inmates, armed with bladed weapons, demanded to see their families and sought a change in their internal leadership structure before agreeing to negotiate.
Manas clarified that the barricade stemmed from internal conflicts among the detainees rather than a hostage-taking situation. The standoff ended peacefully without casualties after authorities intervened and conducted debriefings.
Jail personnel ensured the safety of all inmates during the negotiations, including high-value personalities. The facility currently detains controversial contractor Sarah Discaya and nine co-accused individuals implicated in an alleged P96.5-million “ghost” flood control project.
Lone District Rep. Junard “Ahong” Chan said in a separate interview that he visited the prison after the involved PDLs requested his presence to help mediate.
Chan said the seven men asked for a transfer to the Cebu City Jail in Barangay Kalunasan, citing safety concerns. BJMP regional officials expressed a willingness to grant the request, but the transfer remains pending court approval.
While awaiting the court order, authorities secured the seven inmates in a separate area to prevent further conflict with other detainees.
Manas said an investigation is ongoing to determine how the inmates barricaded themselves and smuggled the recovered bladed weapons into the facility. / DPC