A man took a 5-year-old boy hostage for two hours before surrendering to authorities near the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) in Sta. Mesa, Manila this morning.
Radyo Inquirer identified the suspect as 38-year-old Dominador Abrillo from Tacloban, Leyte.
ABS-CBN News reported that Abrillo allegedly took a security guard’s firearm at the nearby Philippine National Railways (PNR) station.
Director Chief Supt. Vicente Danao Jr. from the Manila Police District (MPD) told Radyo Inquirer that the hostage-taking incident happened at around 9:45am today.
Police officers from the MPD Station 8 and a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team responded and negotiated with the suspect and convinced him to let go of the victim sometime after 11am, the report added.
Radyo Inquirer stated that the suspect was dealing with personal problems which prompted him to commit the crime.
Police Officer Christian John Castor, one of the policemen who responded, told ABS-CBN News that the suspect had also requested to talk to Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada.
According to Remate, the boy was left uninjured.
However, Supt. Ruber Ramos, the ground commander of the Sta. Mesa Police, stated that there were five passersby who were injured when the suspect allegedly fired around the area before taking the unidentified boy hostage, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported.
Those injured were brought to the Ospital ng Sampaloc (Sampaloc Hospital).
Authorities brought the suspect to the MPD station for investigation. Meanwhile, the boy will receive counseling from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
