Jolo, Jumada II 8, 1439, Feb 24, 2018, SPA -- At least 29 detainees escaped from a jail in the southern Philippines on Saturday when a guard briefly left his post, but 17 of them were immediately captured when law enforcers fired warning shots, police said. The 12 detainees who managed to escape successfully from the police jail in Jolo town were mostly facing drug charges and were being hunted by police, troops and village guards in nearby towns, AP quoted police as saying. The jailbreak was staged when a police guard left to take a break, but other policemen sprang to action and arrested 17 of the escapees in a melee just outside the jail, located in the Jolo townhall compound in the heart of the port town. Officials removed several policemen from their posts following the jailbreak, which was being investigated, police said. --SPA 15:18 LOCAL TIME 12:18 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w621997