Ma holds kids hostage

A mother, believed to be mentally deranged, burned their house and also held hostage her four young children in Marikina yesterday morning.

Marikina police chief Senior Superintendent Sotero Ramos Jr. identified the mother as Asleah Dimano, 33, of No. 15 Mangahan Street, Barangay Tañong, Marikina City.

Dimano, who has a live-in partner identified as Anthony Mejia, now faces charges of arson for trying to burn their house down.

She was brought to the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) in Mandaluyong City for examination. She will also be investigated by the police.

Her children whom she held hostage were identified as Aaron Mejia, 7, Aamie, 5, Aarii Mejia, 2, and six-months-old Aayel.

Police investigators said the incident happened around 10:15 a.m.

The suspect used old newspapers and a lighted match to start a fire inside their house which prompted the Bureau of Fire Protection to send firetrucks in the area.

The firemen were able to extinguish the fire after several minutes, but when the fire was put under control, the suspect run berserk and refused to allow the firemen and neighbors in.

She held her children hostage and was shouting that she will harm them if the firemen enter the house.

The suspect demanded from the firemen and the responding policemen to talk to her live-in partner Anthony who was working at Ford Libis in Quezon City.

Several police negotiators tried to calm the woman down and negotiated with her for two hours.

Police said the woman only released her children when Anthony arrived. The police fetched Anthony from his office.

Anthony took his children from the suspect who was turned over to police for investigation.

Police will still check the results of the medical examination on the suspect before they will decide on wheter to file charges or not against the woman.– Sandy Araneta