AFP-PNP on "hot pursuit" Against Basilan Jail attackers

Government troops have launched a pursuit operations to recapture the 31 inmates that were spirited out early Sunday from the Basilan provincial jail, an official said on Sunday.

Zamboanga Peninsula Police Office (ZPPO) spokesman Sr. Supt. Jose Bayani Gucela, said pursuit operations were jointly undertaken by the Isabela City Police Office, Regional Mobile Group-9 (RMG-9) and Directorate for Integrated Police Operations (DIPO)-West.

Gucela said heavily armed men “probably” members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) have stormed the provincial jail around 1:45 a.m. in Barangay Sumagdang, Isabela City, the capital of Basilan province. Gucela said 31 inmates, including two MILF leaders who were facing criminal charges, were spirited out by the attackers.

One of the detained MILF leaders, were among the suspects in the beheading of 10 marine troops in Al-Barka town in July 2007. Gucela said two people--a jailguard and one of the attackers--were killed in brief firefight as the jailguards on duty tried to stop the intruders.

Gucela said the attackers entered the provincial jail's compound by destroying the detention facility's perimeter fence. The gunmen spirited out the inmates, whose identities are still being established, after destroying the padlock of the detention cell's main entrance.

It was not immediately known how many inmates were presently detained at the Basilan provincial jail but Gucela said that more than half of them escaped. Gucela farther said the pursuit operations were being conducted in coordination with military troops stationed in Basilan province.

Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales and Armed Forces Chief-of-Staff Gen. Victor Ibrado, who arrived in Isabela City as earlier scheduled, met with the military and police officials in Basilan province. (PIA- Pagadian City)

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