Man kills lover in Marikina hostage drama

MANILA, Philippines - A man stabbed dead his live-in partner after holding her hostage with a bread knife for hours in Marikina City Thursday, police said yesterday.

Marikina police officers disarmed Elpidio Mabahin, 42, and rushed him and his live-in partner, Rosalinda Aquino, 43, to the hospital in separate ambulances. Aquino died along the way.

Mabahin was treated for superficial wounds. He is being held at the Marikina police’s detention center while charges are being prepared against him.

Chief Superintendent Francisco Manalo, director of the Eastern Police District (EPD), said Mabahin went to the City Social Welfare Division (CSWD) yesterday to talk with his daughter, a rape victim.

However, CSWD employees did not allow Mabahin to see his daughter for unknown reasons, according to reports Manalo gathered.

Upon reaching their rented home along Bonifacio Avenue in Barangay Barangka, Mabahin had an argument with his live-in partner that ended with him taking her hostage.

Aquino’s shouts for help alerted neighbors, who called up police hotline Rescue 161. Policemen arrived in the area minutes later.

Mabahin dragged Aquino into the bathroom, preventing policemen from rescuing her because the area was not properly lit.

After several hours of negotiation, Mabahin refused to surrender. Policemen used a fire truck’s water cannon to force the bathroom door open. They grabbed Mabahin, who had already stabbed Aquino and was holding on to her. The suspect gave up the bread knife he used to stab his live-in partner.

Manalo said neighbors claimed Mabahin had been acting strangely the past few days after the CSWD took custody of his daughter. Authorities did not say who had raped her.