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ZAMBOANGA CITY: Seven criminals facing various
charges from robbery to rape have escaped from a provincial prison
in Mindanao, police said Friday.
The jailbreak occurred late
Thursday in the town of Manukan in Zamboanga del Norte province.
Several prison guards have been suspended from their duty because of
the escape.
The prisoners bolted out from
their cell after destroying its window grills. Police and jail
officials said there is an ongoing investigation into the escape.
Reports reaching the Philippine
National Police headquarters in Camp Crame identified the fugitives
as Gapi Saiman, a carjacking suspect; Jovencio Ramos, Poni Leaņo,
and Teofe Cating, who are facing cases of robbery; Rowell Sultan, a
robbery suspect; Bani Abrinica, a rape suspect; and Maximo Mercado,
who was jailed for alleged acts of lasciviousness.
A radio dzMM report said the
inmates escaped by sawing through the iron bars of their jail cell.
Police have mounted a manhunt in
the town and appealed to relatives to convince the escapees, if they
return home, to surrender peacefully.
--Al Jacinto
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