Manila, Oct. 9, (dpa/GNA) – Nine inmates were killed on Friday in a pre-dawn riot between rival gangs at the Philippines’ national penitentiary, officials said.
The clash erupted inside the maximum security compound in the New Bilibid Prison while most inmates were still sleeping, said Gabriel Chaclag, a Bureau of Corrections spokesperson.
Seven members of the so-called Sputnik Gang and two members of the so-called Commando gang were killed, Chaclag said.
It has not yet been confirmed who started the violence, nor what was behind the fight, he said.
“Inside prison, a mere bad stare or a wrong bump into each other, that’s enough for them to kill each other,” Chaclag said. “But we will investigate to see if there is a deeper reason for the fight.”
The riot was pacified after more than one hour, he added.
Those who were involved in the riot have been placed in isolation, while the leaders of the two gangs have vowed to take steps to ensure that the fight will not escalate.
“They promised that that there will be no more fights after this,” Chaclag said.
The New Bilibid Prison has 18,000 inmates. While closed circuit TV cameras have been installed around the facility, they are only located in strategic areas. Prison guards do not monitor inmates 24 hours.
GNA