Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Monday said the situation at the New Bilibid Prison remained "tense" as of Sunday, two days after violence erupted between two rival gangs.
"The situation was still tense as of yesterday. There were intel reports that one group was amassing to strike back at the rival group," Guevarra said, in a message to reporters.
"But the prison authorities, with the assistance of the police, have so far contained the violence," the Justice Secretary added.
Nine people died and seven were injured following a riot between members of the Sputnik and Commando gangs at one quadrant of NBP’s maximum security compound in the early hours of October 9.
According to Bureau of Corrections spokesperson Gabriel Chaclag, the instigators of the deadly riot will face disciplinary action.
Guevarra admitted that he was still waiting for an update from the BuCor, which he has ordered to investigate what he described as a "tumultuous affray" between the two gangs.
Justice Undersecretary Deo Marco, who supervises corrections, said the National Bureau of Investigation has also stepped in to look into the incident.
Marco declined to say whether he thinks there were lapses on the part of prison officials.
Bilibid is a 254-hectare facility in Muntinlupa City that houses more than 28,000 convicts.
