Man shoots guard, takes pregnant woman hostage

Camp Vicente Lim, Laguna , Philippines  – A security guard of a fastfood outlet in Biñan town was wounded when a 36-year-old man went berserk and shot him before holding a pregnant female service crewmember hostage for four tense hours early yesterday morning.

Senior Superintendent Manulito Labador, Laguna police director, said the suspect, Anthony Navarro, alias Abbas Wadja, entered the fastfood outlet at around 6:30 a.m. and grabbed the service firearm of security guard Alberto Bautista, who he eventually shot in the foot and arm.

Navarro then held hostage eight months’ pregnant Maricar Flores, 22, a night-shift service crewmember.

Navarro ordered the lights switched off and locked Flores and himself inside the fastfood outlet’s office for four hours, Superintendent Joel Pernito, Biñan police chief, told The STAR.

Pernito said Navarro initially wanted to see his wife Raj, a Cavite resident, with whom he has been estranged for four months now.

Navarro later changed his mind and demanded that Muntinlupa City councilor Ermie Espeleta act as negotiator, promising to give himself up to him.

Aside from members of the police crisis management team, a Muslim colleague of Navarro, identified as Abdul Qahar Simpal Unte, also helped negotiate with him.

Finally, Espeleta, who came all the way from Muntinlupa, convinced Navarro to surrender at around 10:30 a.m. after assuring him that he would not be harmed.

Espeleta said he has known Navarro for quite some time, as he has bought DVDs from him.

After the incident, Flores was rushed to the nearest hospital for trauma management.

Bautista, who works for the Spartan Security Agency, was brought to the Perpetual Help Hospital in Biñan.

Recovered from Navarro were a caliber .38 revolver with two bullets, a screwdriver, a bread knife, a hammer, a gas mask and three empty bullet shells.

Police said Navarro faces charges of frustrated homicide, physical injury, illegal possession of a deadly weapon, alarm and scandal, and illegal detention.  – With Ed Amoroso