AUTHORITIES lobbed tear gas canisters to enter the main entrance of the North Cotabato Provincial Jail which inmates padlocked since Sept. 23 in protest to stricter policies imposed by its new warden.
The inmates earlier called for the ouster of Jail Supt. Peter Bungat Jr., NCPJ officer-in-charge, after the latter temporarily stopped prison visitation privileges due to the proliferation of illegal drugs inside the facility.
“The police strike team was able to confiscate some P60,000 believed to be drug money, blade weapons, and cellphones as they barged into the facility,” Bungat said.
The penitentiary houses some 1,200 detainees, 50 of whom are high-risk personalities involved in the illegal drug trade.
Only last month, three inmates identified as Mama Mandagia Makalati, Esmael Nasser alias Derbi, and Musanip Saplidan Kusin managed to bolt out from the facility.
Nasser, the most notorious of the trio, is implicated in the killing of a vice mayor in the province in 2014.
Upon his assumption two weeks ago as NCPJ in-charge, Bungat imposed new policies, which included the suspension of wives’ visitation among inmates and thorough inspection of foodstuff and other materials entering the prison.
“Regular visiting hours will be restored probably this week if security permits. Strict body search will be properly imposed,” he said.
Meanwhile, police and military presence remain in place at the perimeter of the facility following intelligence reports citing that members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters are planning to attack NCPJ and spring out detained comrades.