Metro Manila jails on red alert over hostage-taking

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology placed on full alert yesterday all 40 jails in Metro Manila under its jurisdiction after a hostage-taking incident at the Marikina City Jail on Thursday left two inmates and a BJMP personnel dead.

“All National Capital Region jails were declared on red alert status. Additional personnel have been deployed at the Marikina City jail,” BJMP spokesman Chief Inspector Xavier Solda said in a statement.

The incident at the detention facility occurred at around 5:30 p.m. when prisoners Dominador Garsilla Jr., 40, and Maceda Rosedo, 49, held hostage two BJMP nurses, according to the Eastern Police District (EPD).

The inmates complained about discomfort, prompting jail guards to bring them to the infirmary where they grabbed a handgun and took the nurses hostage.

A jail guard who responded to the scene was overpowered by the suspects. He was then shot multiple times in the chest and died while undergoing treatment at the Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center.

The BJMP withheld the jail guard’s identity in deference to his family.

Police officers who responded to the scene traded shots with the hostage takers.

The inmates were pronounced dead on arrival at a hospital. The nurses are recuperating from their injuries.

Solda said an investigation  is ongoing to determine if there were lapses committed by their personnel.