No bail for man who ‘took’ girl, 5, hostage

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office has recommended no bail against a 37-year-old man accused of slight illegal detention for allegedly taking a five-year-old girl hostage.

Prosecutor III Aida Sanchez found probable cause to hold for trial Allan Diendo, resident of Sitio Tinabangay Alaska, Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City.

In an inquest proceeding, Diendo waived his right to answer the allegations filed against him. Instead, he manifested to face the charges in court.

Senior Police Officer 3 Alexander Dalion, a resident of the same sitio, said on at around 7 a.m. on July 14, he responded to the alleged hostage taking in their place.

“Upon arrival at the place, I saw a person holding a Batangas knife who was attacked by the crowd. I also saw a woman with a wounded forearm and bicep,” Dalion said.

He stood up in front of Diendo, and then stopped the neighbors from attacking the latter, Dalion added.

Arrested

Dalion said upon the arrival of his colleagues from Mambaling Police Station, they then placed the accused under arrest and confiscated the six-inch knife.

Jhoemar Loberanes, 26, said they were awakened that day by a commotion from the adjacent room which was occupied by his cousin Ruby Loreto and her live-in partner Diendo.

“We realized that the cause of the loud commotion was the forcible destruction of Diendo on the plywood that divides our room,” Loberanes said.

He added that the accused was able to gain entrance and held them hostage, including his five-year-old niece.

Loberanes said Diendo asked for a cellphone to call her live-in partner who was in Ormoc City, Leyte.

After giving a cellphone to Diendo, Loberanes then grabbed his niece and tried to pass her outside through the open window in their house.

Luckily, he said, his aunt was able to catch the girl.