MANILA, Philippines (UPDATE) - A retired police official linked to the massacre of 57 people in Ampatuan, Maguindanao last November has "disappeared" from the provincial jail of Sultan Kudarat, a police official said Wednesday.

Chief Superintendent Josefino Cataluna, Police Regional Office (PRO) 12 director, said retired superintendent Piang Adam was reported missing from his detention cell at the Sultan Kudarat provincial jail around 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Cataluna said Adam was actually last seen entering his detention cell at 4 p.m. Tuesday, but the provincial jail guard assigned to him only reported his mysterious disappearance on Wednesday morning.

Adam, a former director of the Maguindanao police provincial office, was transferred to the provincial jail last Dec. 14, 2009 following the lifting of martial law imposed on the province after the massacre.

Cataluna said at least 4 provincial jail guards are now being questioned by an investigating team of the PRO-12's Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

"There is no rescue here. He just disappeared. [The jail guards] are having a hard time explaining his disappearance," he said, adding that he is detailing a team of policemen from the police regional office to secure the provincial jail and prevent another escape.

Several policemen linked to the massacre are also detained at the provincial jail.

Cataluna said Adam was taken into police custody last December after a joint police and military team seized 12 armalite rifles and 2 hand grenades from his home in President Quirino town in Sultan Kudarat.

The raid was covered by the government's declaration of state of emergency in 3 areas in Mindanao including Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao and Cotabato.

It was not clear if Adam is among the 63 policemen facing multiple murder charges for the gruesome massacre of civilians in Maguindanao.

Reports said Adam has been charged, together with 25 active and retired police officials, with malversation of public funds or property and other related cases before the Department of Justice with regard to the recovery vehicles, firearms and ammunition from the 3 provinces, including Maguindanao.