60 PDL, 20 BJMP staff injured in prison riot in San Mateo, Rizal

SAN MATEO, Rizal - Sixty persons deprived of liberty (PDL) and 20 members of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology sustained minor injuries during a prison riot inside a detention center at San Mateo, Rizal on Friday afternoon.

Based on information released Sunday by BJMP spokesperson Jail Chief Inspector Jayrex Bustinera, seven PDLs started a noise barrage inside the prison.

This led to the incident when authorities forced them to stop but note before the ensuing riot resulted in multiple injuries and damage to government property.

The BJMP, Philippine National Police and the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office ng San Mateo sent a response team to diffuse the situation.

The standoff ended at around 3 a.m. on Saturday.

According to Bustinera, all of those injured were given prompt medical attention and are now recovering.

The incident was reportedly sparked by several PDL who opposed the cashless system in the facility. The BJMP plan was to use coupons instead.

"Para makaiwas nga po sa corruption or mas transparent ang transaction sa loob ng jail, wala nang cash. Ayaw po ng mga leader-leader dun sa jail na 'yun," Bustinera said.

(This was done to avoid corruption or make transactions more transparent inside the jail, no more cash. But the acting jail leaders opposed it.)

The BJMP said it will investigate the actual conditions of the jail and its staff.—RF, GMA Integrated News