The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) said it is unlikely for a prisoner to escape from a correctional facility using a drone, following a report that a South Korean convicted of murder allegedly attempted to flee using a heavy-duty drone.

In a report by RH Jecelle Ricarfort, BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang said prison facilities maintain strict security, with guards monitoring watchtowers around the clock.

Catapang also pointed out that drones are noisy, which could immediately alert security personnel if one attempts to operate near a prison. Correctional facilities are likewise equipped with CCTV cameras covering prison grounds, perimeters, buildings and other restricted areas.

He acknowledged, however, that drones pose security concerns because they can fly over prison walls and other physical barriers. Their accessibility and affordability could also make them useful for smuggling contraband, surveillance or escape attempts.

Despite these risks, Catapang maintained that using a drone to escape from prison would be difficult to accomplish without being detected.

The remarks followed a report by South Korean broadcaster JTBC that 46-year-old Park Wang-yeol allegedly attempted to escape from detention using a heavy-duty drone.

Park was sentenced to 60 years in prison in 2022 for the killing of three South Korean nationals at a sugarcane plantation outside Bacolod City in 2016. He had also reportedly escaped custody in 2017 and 2019 while being transported from court hearings.