Father takes son hostage

CEBU, Philippines - A six-hour hostage drama in Bogo City, which involved a man and his three-year-old son, ended with the suspect landing in the hospital for a gunshot wound he sustained after cops swooped in on him to rescue the child.

No less than Bogo City police chief, Supt. Richard Oliver, negotiated with the 34-year-old suspect after he held his son hostage at knifepoint starting at 10 a.m. yesterday.

The incident happened at the suspect’s house in Sitio Maharat, Barangay Bungtod, approximately two kilometers from the city proper. Only the father and child were at the house at that time.

Roland Tul-id, a reporter of dyCM who covered the situation, told The FREEMAN he saw the suspect use both a bolo and a knife. His first demand for the child’s release was for no less than President Benigno Aquino III to go to Bogo City.

Tul-id said police eventually convinced the suspect that it would be difficult for the President to fly to Bogo, but at past 4 p.m., the suspect demanded that he be given a gun.

Oliver negotiated further and offered to give money instead in exchange for the child.

Tul-id said the police handed P500 to the suspect but he could not ascertain if they also agreed to hand him a gun. At this point, when the police went to the house, everyone who was present at the area was made to stay away.

From where he was, Tul-id said he could hear the police convince the suspect to surrender the child.

“Gihangyo sa polis nga itunol ang bata unya sa pikas kamot ila pod gitunol ang kwarta, pero di maklaro kung gihatagan ba og armas,” Tul-id said.

As soon as the cops saw an opportunity, they swooped down on him as they took the child away to safety, but the suspect reacted and a scuffle ensued inside the house.

“Nagsinumbagay sila sa sulod kay nisukol man ni ang suspek mga upat ug lima ka minutos hangtod nga napusilan siya sa iyang tiyan,” Tul-id said.

The scuffle ended with the suspect getting hit by bullet in the stomach. He was subsequently brought to the hospital.

Tul-id said he learned from the suspect’s neighbors that he began acting strange on Monday night after his brother confronted him for allegedly molesting his niece.

“Nagsugod daw siya og kaboryong human nga nakahibawo siya nga file-an siya og kaso. Gikasab-an siya sa iyang igsuon nga nganong gi-rape niya ang bata nga iya ra pod nga pag-umangkon,” Tul-id said.

The FREEMAN learned that the suspect was reportedly under the influence of drugs.

The FREEMAN tried to get an official statement from Oliver but numerous calls were left unanswered last night. Calls were also made to the Bogo City Police Station but inquiries yielded negative responses. —/JMO (FREEMAN)