2 Chinese among 10 killed in Philippine jail blast

Eight of the inmates who were killed were facing drug cases.

Officials say 10 inmates, including two alleged Chinese drug criminals, died in a suspected grenade blast that rocked a Philippine jail.

Senior Inspector Xavier Solda, spokesman of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, said on Friday initial investigation showed the inmates had sought to talk with the warden of Paranaque City jail in metropolitan Manila upon learning they would be transferred to another facility. The warden was seriously injured in Thursday night’s explosion.

They were facing drug cases

Mr. Solda said eight of the inmates, including two Chinese, killed in the blast were facing drug cases. Two others were facing cases of robbery with homicide.

Mr. Solda said investigators were looking at whether the blast was part of an escape attempt. But he said they were waiting to get details from the warden.