MANILA, Philippines, March 14 (UPI) -- Three prison guards and an inmate were killed in an attempted jailbreak by Muslim militants in Manila Monday, the BBC reports.
Early in the day, 10 inmates overpowered several guards and seized their weapons, sparking a firefight at the four-story Camp Bagong Diwa maximum security jail.
The inmates holed up for some time before dealing with negotiators.
"There was some delay because they feared for their safety," said Avelino Razon, police chief for the metropolitan Manila area. "But they changed their minds and they've agreed to come out."
Police said there were about 129 suspected members of the Muslim militant group Abu Sayyaf out of more than 400 inmates in the jail. The group has been labeled a terrorist organization by both the Philippines and United States, and is believed by the United States to have links with Osama Bin Laden's al-Qaida network.
