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Crime journalist Paul Connolly continues his dangerous quest to visit the toughest prisons in the world and comes across one Filipino jail run by a vicious gang.

Prison guards take a step back as the ruthless Bahala Na gang operates with almost military control with rules designed to govern almost every aspect of prison life.

As part of Channel 5 documentary, Inside the World's Most Dangerous Prison, Paul's Philippine journey starts in Rizal City Jail where he swiftly learns how to survive under the control of the notorious prison gang Sputnik.

He then travels into the south of the country, to the remote rural Philippines, where he uncovers the toughest conditions of any prison run by Bahala Na.

(Image: Channel 5)

(Image: Channel 5)

Forced to yet another humiliating strip search within minutes of arriving, Paul soon unearths terrible conditions where hundreds of prisoners are crammed into cells built to house a fraction of the number with tuberculosis a present threat.

Paul shares a cell with a suspected murderer and drug dealer and a rapist and gets extremely nervous when two inmates take an interest into the film crew.

Forced to rely upon Sputnik gang boss Carlito Mori to protect him while in the prison, he gets worried when preparing for bed at the Rizal City Jail Paul: "My safety relies on Sputnik boss Carlito's protection but banking on the word of a convicted rapist isn't very reassuring.

(Image: Channel 5)

(Image: Channel 5) (Image: Channel 5)

"Carlito says he's got my back but I'm not sure he's obeyed by everyone in here... These two are just taking a little bit too much interest in me and I've just got to keep my wits about me..."

The TV reporter spends a week experiencing life as a typical inmate in the impoverished Philippines prison system.

Read more:'Muzzled like a wild animal': Inside Poland's toughest prison

Many jails in the Philippines are overcrowded, severely underfunded and run by gangs and two thirds of the country’s prisoners have yet to face trial. Arrested, charged and then left to languish on remand, many detainees spend years in legal limbo.

(Image: Channel 5)

During his time behind bars Paul meets innocent detainees, prison gang leaders, a suspected people trafficker and a cop killer whose past catches up with him.

Read more:UK journalist braves World's Most Dangerous Prison

He witnesses what happens when gangs are given control of the jails and just how easy it is to become a slave to the prison gang if you don’t have the cash.

Prisoners are also placed in quarantine to try and battle the contagious tuberculosis threat with one unfortunate sick inmate revealing the medicine they desperately need to recover is unavailable to them.

"Ever since we came in [quarantine] we've not been given any medicine. Nothing."

* Inside the World’s Toughest Prisons continues in the Philippines – tonight, Thursday 18 February at 9pm on Channel 5