ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) personnel have foiled a jail break plan by suspected Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) members detained at the Zamboanga City Reformatory Center (ZCRC), an official said Tuesday.
The BJMP personnel detailed at the ZCRC have confiscated on Monday three caliber .45 pistols and 140 rounds of ammunition that were delivered to an inmate, who is an ASG member.
Chief Inspector Julius Arro, ZCRC warden, said the three pistols and ammunition were concealed at the bottom of two home-made concrete charcoal stoves that were delivered one after the other by three persons, including two women, around 11 a.m. Monday, to the suspected ASG member.
Arro said the two of the three pistols were concealed beneath one of the two concrete charcoal stoves while the other and the ammunition on the other stove.
Arro described the home-made concrete charcoal stoves as “well cemented” since the pistols and ammunition cannot be seen “even if you will turn the stoves upside down.”
He said they found the guns and bullets when they opened the bottom of the charcoal stoves since they took it back for further scrutiny as the intended receiver acted suspiciously upon receiving the items.
He said the jail guards also noted that the people who brought in the charcoal stoves at the detention immediately left after the intended recipient received the items.
He said they allowed the inmates to have their own charcoal stoves to enable to cook their own food and to cut cost on electric consumption as they have prohibited the use of electric stove.
He disclosed that investigation showed the plan of the ASG members was to escape at night fall. He added that there are 56 suspected members of the ASG who are detained at the ZCRC.
There are 1,638 inmates including 170 female detainees at the detention facility.
The BJMP have doubled the security measures at the detention facility and placed all personnel on heightened alert.
The Zamboanga City Police Office and Task Force Zamboanga have deployed personnel outside the compound of the detention facility as back up forces to the BJMP personnel. (Sunnex)