BuCor: Drone jailbreak plan unrealistic

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) on Tuesday dismissed as unrealistic a reported escape plan by a South Korean drug convict at the New Bilibid Prison, assuring the public of strict security measures in place at the national penitentiary. South Korean media reported that Park Wang-yeol, serving time for murder and drug offenses, had planned to escape by strapping himself to a drone capable of carrying 75 kilograms and flying over the prison walls. The plot was allegedly conceived shortly before his temporary transfer to South Korea in March at the behest of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. "All our operating prisons and penal farms are no-fly zones. We have watchtowers manned around the clock, which immediately alert our guards if there will be attempts to escape through drones," BuCor Director Gregorio Catapang Jr. said in a statement. Catapang noted that the audible motors of drones, especially when flying in low-lying zones, would immediately attract the attention of prison guards. He also stated that closed-circuit televisions (CCTVs) have the ability to detect suspicious activity. "A drone-assisted escape does not translate into a realistic escape method," Catapang concluded. Park was convicted in 2022 for killing three South Korean nationals in the Philippines in 2016. He allegedly continues to distribute illegal drugs using mobile phones while in prison. Information Source: Philstar Nation