Manila | A brawl between rival gangs in an overcrowded prison in metropolitan Manila in the Philippines left six dead and 33 injured, authorities said on Tuesday.
About 1,900 prisoners are held in Caloocan prison, where the fight broke out, designed to accommodate fewer than 200, said prison authorities spokesperson Xavier Solda.
An investigation has been opened to determine the causes of the fatal altercation which began with a dispute between two detainees, according to Mr. Solda. The type of weapon used has not been established.
“It has been almost two years since we (host) visits to our establishments because of COVID-19, this could be one of the reasons why others took part in the fight,” explained Mr. Solda to AFP.
Security has been reinforced within the establishment in order to maintain order.
Prison violence is commonplace in the overcrowded prisons of the archipelago, where the number of inmates is sometimes up to five times greater than their capacity.
The incident comes after a fight in New Bilibid prison in the capital on January 2 that left three prisoners dead and 14 injured.
Bladed weapons and homemade firearms were used in the clash in the country’s largest prison.