Casualties reported as violence erupts inside Bilibid

Violence broke out between two warring groups inside the New Bilibid Prison on the wee hours of Friday, according to Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) public information chief Gabriel Chaclag.

Interviewed on Dobol B sa News TV, Chaclag said the incident resulted in "casualties." He said he is waiting for the official report from prison officials regarding the exact number.

"Meron pong casualties at sugatan, so hinihintay pa po natin yung report, yung bilang po hindi ko pa masabi although nagbigay na sila ng verbal [report] pero ang basis po kasi natin ay yung official," Chaclag said.

"Kelangan kasing i-clear po lahat ng area doon, ayaw nating may ma-miss tayo o may detalye tayong hindi makita," he added.

Chaclag said the violence, which took place at 2:30 a.m., involved "hardcore personalities" from Sputnik and Commando gangs.

"Yung dalawang grupo po nagkainitan, nagkaabutan," he said, adding the violence was contained only in one quadrant.

Investigation is ongoing to determine what caused the violence, Chaclag said.

"Malalim ito considering na hinintay pa mag-madaling araw bago sila nag-aksiyon ng ganito," he said. 

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, meanwhile, said he has asked BuCor chief Gerald Bantag to investigate the incident and submit to him a report as soon as possible.

Chaclag said the violence was eventually contained and the situation at the national penitentiary has returned to normal.

He said the people who will be found to have instigated the fight will be isolated and may have difficulty earning privileges like good conduct time allowances.

"Malalaman din po natin kung ano ang pinag-ugatan at kung ano ang naging pinagmulan," Chaclag said. —KBK, GMA News