MANILA (Updated) -- Thirty-nine people were hurt, including four jail guards, after personnel of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) broke a noise barrage inside the Manila City Jail on Thursday.
At least 200 inmates climbed the roofs of their cells and called for the ouster of Jail Warden Superintendent Gerald Bantag, who implemented a new policy to segregate drug suspects from other inmates.
Bantag, who fired warning shots from a rubber bullet gun to appease the inmates, was the former warden of Parañaque City Jail where a bomb exploded on August 12 that killed 10 drug suspects.
Those who participated in noise barrage were inmates from the Dorms 9 and 10, who are described as members of Batang City Jail gang.
After the commotion, 35 inmates and four jail guards were brought to the medical infirmary for treatment of minor wounds.
The BJMP said seven pointed objects were confiscated from the inmates.
According to BJMP, the inmates were opposing the segregation or reclassification of drug offenders, which is part of BJMP's anti-illegal drugs advocacy programs.
"The purpose of the segregation is to give the inmates who were jailed of substance abuse with proper interventions such as therapy programs, physical fitness programs, counseling and spiritual enhancement activities," BJMP said in a statement.
The BJMP said the prisoners had been pacified after elements from the BJMP and Manila Police District-Special Weapons and Tactics rushed to the scene. (Sunnex)
