At least 1 killed, 12 injured in Bilibid riot

At least one inmate was confirmed killed while at least 12 were injured, three of them in critical condition, in a riot inside a dormitory in the maximum security area of the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City Tuesday night.

The NBP indefinitely suspended visits to the inmates at the penitentiary and started searching the dormitories for weapons amid information that improvised shotguns were used in the riot.

"Nagkaroon kami ng decision ihinto muna ang pagpasok ng dalaw," Superintendent Venancio Tesoro, superintendent of the NBP, said in an interview on dzBB radio.

"Isa ang namatay pero karamihan nakabalik sa brigada," he added.

Earlier reports had indicated at least two inmates were killed in the riot.

Tesoro said their initial investigation showed the riot started when two inmates in one of the dormitories played a game of cara y cruz to while away the time at 11:30 p.m.

But the game turned ugly as the two inmates quarreled, with their respective gangmates coming to their aid, he said.

A separate report by dzBB's Sam Nielsen said the two were members of the Sputnik and Happy-Go-Lucky gangs.

Tesoro also said their investigation showed the inmates used various weapons, including bladed ones.

He said the NBP has 2,000 Sputnik Gang members and 1,000 Happy-Go-Lucky Gang members.

"Di ito giyera ng pangkat kundi kaguluhan sa dormitoryo na may 500 katao, ang 500 affiliated sa isang pangkat,"  he said.  — LBG, GMA News