Hostage taker lynched, beaten up in Mandaluyong

A depressed widower was beaten black and blue by an angry mob, who ganged up on him, when he tried to stab a 15-year-old high school student he took hostage for 45-minutes in Mandaluyong City over the weekend.

The hostage-taker, Roger de la Cruz, 32, of Block 5, Bliss compound in Barangay Mauway, is now being treated for face and body injuries at the Mandaluyong City Medical Center (MCMC).

"Bugbog sarado siya. Kasalukuyan siyang binabantayan ng ating kapulisan sa ospital para hindi siya makatakas at panagutan ang ginawa niya," said Superintendent Ericson Velasquez, Mandaluyong City police chief.

Velasquez said they are preparing charges of attempted homicide and physical injuries against De la Cruz.

Armed with a screwdriver and an improvised knife, De la Cruz suddenly grabbed Maria Crisanta Pinero, 15, of 642 R. Pascual St., Barangay Pleasant Hills at the mini carnival located at Block 6 in Barangay Mauway at 9:15 p.m. Saturday.

"Dinakma niya ang bata sa leeg at buhok at kinaladkad sa peryahan," a police investigator said.

Concerned clients of the mini carnival called the attention of barangay officials who rushed to the scene and appealed to De la Cruz to release his hostage.

When responding policemen arrived, they took turns for 45 minutes with the barangay officials to convince De la Cruz to surrender.

However, instead of heeding their call to lay down his weapons, De la Cruz tried to stab Pinero prompting barangay tanod Gerardo Manlapao, 37 to intervene.

Manlapao was stabbed in the right arm in the process.

An angry mob overpowered de la Cruz and took turns in beating him up.

"May pumalo pa nga sa kanyang ulo ng baseball bat," a witness said.

De la Cruz was already black and blue for the beatings he received when rushed by concerned bystanders to the hospital.

Velasquez said initial investigation showed that De la Cruz was depressed over family problems. "Wala pang makitang dahilan kung bakit nang-hostage siya," he said. – Non Alquitran