Altar boy held hostage in Malabon

A 13-year-old altar boy was rescued while the man who held him hostage was subdued and later locked up in jail by quick-responding policemen in a 30-minute hostage-taking incident in the restroom of a church in Malabon City Wednesday night.

The suspect, identified by Malabon police chief Superintendent Pedro Ramos as Benjinito Salda, 25, jobless, of 19 Aquino Street, Tonsuya, Malabon, was allegedly under the influence of liquor when the incident happened.

Ramos said Salda, armed with a 10-inch kitchen knife, grabbed Ronaldo Obispo, an altar boy at the San Antonio de Padua Church in Tonsuya, a resident of the neighborhood, after he was allegedly nagged crazy for being an irresponsible family man by his own mother. Salda has no job and his wife is pregnant with their fourth child.

Obispo told police investigators he had forgiven the suspect.

Investigation showed the inebriated suspect had earlier grabbed an unidentified young man inside the church premises who was able to break free from his clutches.

At around 5:15 p.m Wednesday, Salda grabbed Obispo from behind as the victim walked past him after a Mass had just ended.

Salda dragged the victim inside a comfort room after allegedly failing to see the local priest whom he was seeking for advice.

Obispo said Salda told him he was looking for Reverend Father Raul Salgado, parish priest, allegedly for advice on how to handle his troubled married life.

When he could not find the priest, the mentally disturbed suspect snapped, held Obispo at knife-point and dragged him to a comfort room inside the church.

Alarmed parishioners who saw the commotion immediately sought police assistance.

Negotiations between the police led by Inspector Reynaldo Agustin and the suspect to lay down his weapon and safely release Obispo immediately took place as the suspect called for the priest to mediate between him and the authorities.

As a distracted Salda talked with the priest, the police found an opportunity and pounced on the victim. The police slammed the door, which was slightly ajar, on the suspect, who was temporarily stunned by the impact of the door slamming on his face, his weapon flying out of his right hand. Salda staggered back and instinctively released Obispo as he tried to maintain his balance. The police then grabbed and handcuffed him as he sprawled on the bathroom floor.

Ramos said despite the victim’s having already forgiven the suspect, charges of illegal detention and physical injury will still be filed against him. – Jerry Botial and Pete Laude