3-hour standoff: RPA-ABB man threatens cops with grenade

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Tension swept the Jaro Police Substation at M.V. Hechanova in Jaro district of this city the other day when an arrested member of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPA-ABB) threatened policemen with a grenade and refused to surrender.

In the 3-hour standoff, policemen tried to convince 34-year-old Manuel Montaño Jr., alias Tax, of Bankers Village in Jaro, to surrender his M67 fragmentation grenade that he threatened to throw it to the authorities.

Montaño’s wife and sibling also appealed for him to surrender while policemen negotiated to end the standoff.

The incident started when three policemen, who were on their way to respond to a fire alarm, saw four men walking along Bankers Village. The three, upon seeing the policemen, scampered away leaving Montaño behind.

Senior Insp. Herbert Ballegao, Jaro Police sub-station chief, said: “We suspected that something was wrong. Our policemen approached and tried to frisk him,” he said.

The accosting policemen then saw a pistol tucked on Montaño’s waist, but the suspect resisted and pulled a grenade from his bag and immediately took its pin.

Policemen managed to convince the suspect, while holding on to the grenade, to ride on the police car. They succeeded and, while at the police station, Montaño told policemen that he would throw the grenade if he will be forced to give it up.

Members of the Explosive and Ordnance Division (EOD) and Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team also responded.

Eventually, Montaño surrendered the grenade to PO3 Basillo Rezo of the Jaro Police. A .9-mm caliber pistol was also confiscated allegedly from the suspect’s possession.

Montaño is presently detained at the station, while facing charges for illegal possession of firearm and explosive. (FREEMAN)