"30 gunmen had used sledgehammers to break through the jail's concrete perimeter wall before using bolt-cutters to cut through padlocks on cell doors."
That had to take some time. An investigation is indeed in order. "Islamists flee Philippines prison after militants' raid," from BBC News, December 13:
A group of suspected Islamic militants have attacked a jail in the southern Philippines, freeing at least 31 prisoners, prison officials say.
Two people, including a prison guard, are believed to have been killed during a gunfight as the prisoners escaped.
Basilan island's Vice Governor Al Rasheed Sakalahul told the Associated Press the gunmen had wanted to free Muslim guerrillas held in the jail.
He said other inmates had also escaped during the attack early on Sunday.
Mr Sakalahul said about
One of the prison guards was killed and another injured during the ensuing clash, provincial police chief Abubakar Tulawie told Reuters news agency.
'High-risk prisoners'
Regional military commander Maj Gen Benjamin Dolorfino told AP the 31 who escaped included suspected members of a Muslim rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (Milf), and suspected militants from the Abu Sayyaf group.
Two Milf rebels accused of beheading a dozen soldiers on Basilan island in 2007 were among them.
"Those two rebel leaders are high-risk prisoners," Mr Tulawie said.
"We have organised a team together with the military units on the island to pursue them.
"We've started an internal inquiry to determine responsibility for the lax security in the jail."
The escape came just hours before the country's Defence Secretary Norberto Gonzales was due to arrive on the island, which is 550 miles (880km) south of Manila.
He is facing calls for emergency rule to be declared on the island because of Islamist violence.
The jail, located in the provincial capital, Isabela city, has a history of jailbreaks....
I'm sorry but there is no excuse for this happening when you have such violent killers in jail. The Philippines Government has a lot to answer to. They should have moved these guys to a high security place off the Mindanao Island. Imagine if we ran Guantanamo like that and with so many prisoners.
'The jail, located in the provincial capital, Isabela city, has a history of jailbreaks.... '
and apparently is still guarded by only two or three armed guards...
Sounds like a good reason to take no prisoners from the rebels.
Easy solution:
If you have a jail that will not stand up to an attack to free certain prisoners, and reinforcements cannot be expected to rally to your position. You must announce to the attackers (during the siege) that the prisoners will be killed. You shackle and hog tie them and put them in a prominent position where you can kill them if need be.
If the attack continues you display-throw out dead body after dead body. It is a certainty that the attack will end or the objective of said attack will be ruined. Even the most hardened Jihadist would at least see the futility of their attack. Their actions would only serve to more assuredly and quickly end the lives of those that they covet so much.
But of course that would require the defenders to employ tactics that are the equal of the attackers, resulting in criminal prosecution, including murder, for their actions.
So what is the out gunned out manned prison guard to do when his only true means of defense are taken? Throw them the keys and retreat, which is exactly what they did.
What gross incompetence on the part of the Philippines government!Half hearted efforts are not going to defeat these militants.This has emboldened the jihadists.While these guys were hammering away at the walls,where were the
guard?What about calling for reinforcements?
Re: "Two Milf rebels accused of beheading a dozen soldiers on Basilan island in 2007 were among them."
No comment since this must be a different kind of Milf.
Well...it is still hard to get good help these days. I know how to help but I have not had any calls.
The government of the Philippines is paying for their lack of seriousness in pursuing Islamist terrorism. Why were such dangerous people held in such a feeble facility? I would suggest some sort of collusion was involved in this.
Frank, in this case MILF doesn't mean "Mothers Who Like to F**k". It's the acronym for "Moro Islamic Liberation Front", an organization in the Philippines seeking to establish an Islamic state on the island of Mindanao.
If we are to get unseemly, let's be certain in our explanations. MILF means Mothers I'd Like to F*** and is stated by teenage boys commenting on the attractiveness of the mothers of other students! There, one learns something new each day.
Observe the names of some of the people in positions of authority in the region:
"Basilan island's Vice Governor Al Rasheed Sakalahul told the Associated Press the gunmen had wanted to free Muslim guerrillas held in the jail.
He said other inmates had also escaped during the attack early on Sunday."
Again: "One of the prison guards was killed and another injured during the ensuing clash, provincial police chief Abubakar Tulawie told Reuters news agency."
Al Rasheed Sakalahul. Abubakar Tulawie.
Just exactly how scrupulous are these guys going to be, about keeping an eye on fellow Muslims who have been waging jihad against the Infidels? Aren't they going to, shall we say, turn a discreet blind eye? Ooops, some jihadis got out of prison, how regrettable, can't imagine how that happened.
Because a Muslim's first loyalty is supposed to be to Muslims.
These jihadists are not to be given an even chance.A Muslim
will regard any situation where he survives as 'a moral victory.'You can beat a Muslim to a pulp and then bend over
him to check is dead,where upon he spits in your eye;to him
this is taken as a 'moral victory.'