Eight extremists escape in jail break

CAGAYAN DE ORO // ISIL supporters stormed a jail in the southern Philippines and released eight militants, police said yesterday. About 20 armed fighters from the Maute militant group, which has pledged allegiance to ISIL, attacked Lanao del Sur jail in Marawi on Saturday, disarmed the guards and freed prisoners.

Fifteen other inmates who were facing murder and illegal drugs charges also escaped, apparently to divert the attention of authorities.

The eight militants were caught a week ago at a security checkpoint with a homemade bomb in their van.

Maute militants, based in Lanao del Sur’s Butig town, beheaded a soldier and two kidnapped workers this year.

Before being killed, the two workers were made to put on orange shirts similar to those worn by ISIL victims in the group’s murder videos.

Several armed groups in the southern Philippines have pledged loyalty to ISIL. The military has tried to play down the pledges, saying there was no evidence of an active collaboration between ISIL and Filipino militants who were aiming to prop up their image and secure funds after years of battle setbacks.

President Rodrigo Duterte has pursued peace talks with two large rebel groups but ordered troops to destroy fighters from Abu Sayyaf and other hard-line militants.