Nine killed in Philippines prison fire

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines-Fire of still unknown origin hit the Eastern Visayas penal colony in Abuyog town, in Leyte around 3:45 p.m. on Thursday.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said that five of the fatalities had occurred at the prison’s psychiatric ward, two others who died were “weak, old and suffering from eye problems” and two were farm workers who went inside the building to save fellow inmates and salvage farm equipment. The official added a tenth prisoner remained missing.

“The whole maximum security compound was gutted by the fire, so everyone inside the cells got burned”.

Pedrosa said the jail was operating at more than double its capacity at the time of the blaze.

Overcrowding in Philippine prisons is exacerbated by a slow judicial process and a lack of basic infrastructure.

The official did not elaborate on the exact number of inmates that were being held in the burnt-out section, but said an investigation had been launched to determine the causes of the incident.

Faulty electrical wiring is believed to have been the cause, but is still being investigated.

Olaguer said inmates displaced by the fire will be housed in a minimum-security compound.

Fire chief Junrey Ong told PNA they have not received reports of any inmates escaping the prison during the fire, and survivors were evacuated to the nearby medium security building.

There are seven buildings inside the only penal colony in Eastern Visayas.