Bladed weapons seized at Maguindanao jail

COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Jail guards confiscated over the weekend 117 bladed weapons from the detention cells of the Maguindanao provincial jail here.

Officials believe the blades were smuggled by relatives and friends of inmates.

Jail warden Armando Baguaman, who led the seizure of the knives, claw hammers, machetes, and hacksaw blades, said the operation was meant to prevent threats.

Baguaman said from now on they would frisk inmates’ visitors to prevent them from smuggling weapons and drugs.

He said the surprise inspection was prompted by reports that a group of inmates are planning to escape.

There have been more than 10 jailbreaks in the facility in the past 10 years, the latest in 2013 involving nine prisoners, among them the alleged bandit Datukan Samad.

Baguaman said the facility, designed only for 100 people, has at least 300 inmates. He said Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu is planning to put up a larger penitentiary in Parang town.