Kalinga jail attacked; 2 guards slain

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya , Philippines  – Two jail guards were killed while another was wounded as armed men swooped down on the district office of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Kalinga the other day.

Reports identified the slain jail guards as JO1s Roderick Martinez and Patricio Lungao, who were then manning the BJMP compound in Barangay Bulanao, Tabuk City when the attack took place at around 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Martinez and Lungao, according to reports, sustained gunshot wounds in the head and abdomen, respectively.

Another jail guard, JO1 Arshan Maraet, was wounded but is reportedly now in stable condition.

Superintendent Virgilio Laya, of the Kalinga police, said responding scene-of-the-crime operatives recovered several spent shells from M-16 Armalite rifles.

Police said they have already some suspects in mind, including their motive in attacking the BJMP district office, but could not yet divulge their identities pending ongoing operations against them.   – With Artemio Dumlao