Ten persons deprived of liberty (PDL) broke out of the Batangas provincial jail in Ibaan morning on Monday, July 28, 2025, while they were being escorted to the public utility room, according to authorities. 

“A prison guard was escorting the prisoners to the public utility room when one of the prisoners pointed an ice pick at him, took his service firearm and pointed at him, while other prisoners took advantage of the said situation,” the Police Regional Office 4A (PRO 4A) said. 

“At that instance, the PDLs fled on foot towards the direction of Barangay Quilo, Ibaan, Batangas,” it added.

In a report on GMA News Online, police said five of the ten PDLs boarded a bus with passengers at the Star Tollway at the boundary of Tanauan City and Sto. Tomas City.

They were refusing to get out of the bus, according to the police. 

In a separate statement, the Batangas provincial government initially said that there were eight PDLs who were able to escape. 

Governor Vilma Santos-Recto ordered a probe into the incident. 

Provincial Administrator Atty. Joel Montealto said the facility is a new provincial jail where 792 male PDLs were transferred last June 24. 

According to the provincial government, the security protocols in the facility is not yet in order. 

Hot pursuit operation is now being conducted, according to the police. 

(with reports from Joviland Rita, GMA Integrated News)