Two jail personnel from the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) and an inmate were killed in an ambush while they were on the way to a court hearing earlier today in Barangay (village) Kalunasan, Cebu City.
The victims were identified as prison guard Benjie Bayotas, driver Joel Teves, and CPDRC inmate Jerryfer Perigrino, according to reports.
The two unidentified assailants were riding separate motorcycles when they gunned down the victims aboard a CPDRC-owned vehicle, The Philippine Daily Inquirer reported.
Witnesses said the suspects were wearing full-faced helmets. One was armed with an M16 Armalite rifle while another had a 9pmm pistol, according to Sunstar.
The same report added that Perigrino was behind bars for illegal drug possession and was considered a high-value drug inmate.
A case was about to be filed against Perigrino at the Hall of Justice in Cebu City, ABS-CBN News stated. He was caught with four medium packs of shabu (methamphetamine) and drug paraphernalia in his cell last week when a search was conducted at the CPDRC.
City Police director Senior Supt. Royina Garma told the Inquirer that the ambush might have been a “rescue operation” for Perigrino.
“This could be a rescue operation because you are not going to ambush if you are in a disadvantageous position,” Garma said.
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