Hostage-taker killed; 5-year-old victim rescued

SUAL, Pangasinan, Philippines – After exhausting all possible peaceful means for the suspect’s surrender, the police killed a 50-year-old male who hostaged a five-year-old boy in a 10-hour hostage drama Friday in Sitio Punta, barangay Poblacion this town.

Police Superintendent Wilson Lopez, chief of the Special Operations Group and head of the Operations and Plans of the Police Provincial Office, told The STAR it was unfortunate that after the lawmen exerted all means for the peaceful surrender of hostage-taker Narciso Mandapat, the situation ended in his death. 

His victim, John Cris Navarro, sustained a slash at the right side of his face and was already declared out of danger by his attending physician at the Alaminos City Doctors Hospital where he was rushed for treatment.

Mandapat was also rushed to the Western Pangasinan District Hospital, also in Alaminos City, but was declared dead on arrival by his attending physician. 

Lopez, who acted as negotiator, together with Sual Mayor John Rodney Arcinue, said Mandapat had problems with his family. 

“We repeatedly talked to him, promised him legal help and pleaded that he should release the child but to no avail,” Lopez said.

When Mandapat started to slash the victim’s face, the crisis management committee formed to deal with the hostage taking decided to do the final option to save the life of Navarro, Lopez said.

Lopez said the negotiation started at 8 a.m. Friday and ended around 6:30 p.m.

Earlier, Mandapat was brought by Barangay Captain Armando Caburao of Macaycayawan this town to the police station but he ran amuck, got a knife and tried to stab one policeman.

Then he ran towards Sitio Looc, Poblacion and was chased by responding policemen until he entered the house of Jess Navarro along Igana St.

He took into his custody the young Navarro and ran again and entered an abandoned house in Sitio Punta taking the child as his hostage.

In an interview over Aksyon Radyo Pangasinan, Lopez said they tried to convince the hostage-taker to peacefully surrender.

When he started hurting the hostage, they have no other option but to take the final option to save the life of the victim. – With Cesar Ramirez