2 killed, 1 hurt in SM Dasmariñas hostage incident

Two persons were killed and one more was injured after a man took hostage 12 people inside SM Dasmariñas in Cavite on Sunday.

Former Cavite governor Jonvic Remulla identified the hostage-taker in a radio dzBB interview as Carlos Marcos Lacdao, 32, from Leyte province.

Remulla said Lacdao was able to sneak into the mall a 12-inch knife and took hostage 12 people inside a comfort room at the southern part of the mall's ground floor around 11 a.m.

PHOTO: Sinelyuhan pansamantala ang comfort room na pinangyarihan ng madugong hostage drama sa SM City Dasmarinas. | via @divinereyes pic.twitter.com/ok2Oe5uqXv

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) October 9, 2016

"Hinahanap ang asawa at supposed lover ng kanyang asawa. Naka-shades, naka-backpack, very agitated siya. Nagmumura, sumisigaw, hinahanap ang supposed lover ng asawa," the former governor said.

He said that Lacdao's wife was working as a bathroom attendant at the mall. He, however, said that the wife was not among the people taken hostage by the suspect.

Remulla added that though most of the hostages were able to escape unhurt, Lacdao stabbed two of them, one of whom died due to a stab wound near the armpit.

He said the hostage-taking incident ended at around 2:55 p.m. after the police decided to shoot Lacdao who succumbed to gunshot wounds to the head and neck.

Policemen fired at Lacdao as he was still holding at knifepoint a woman hostage identified as Mylene Balajadia.

The woman was unhurt, but badly shaken due to the incident, Remulla said.

Shops reopened and people were allowed to enter the mall as SM Dasmariñas resumed operations shortly before 5 p.m.

PHOTO: Mall goers pinayagan ng makapasok sa SM City Dasmarinas matapos ang madugong hostage drama kanina. | via @divinereyes pic.twitter.com/Y3HG8aFqRE

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) October 9, 2016

Cora Guidote, SM senior vice-president for investor relations, said in a statement that the incident "started as a domestic problem that was brought to the mall."

"The local PNP and our security are working together to manage the situation. All tenant personnel and customers are all safe and away from the area," Guidote said.

She told GMA News Online that Lacdao was not an employee of the mall. Earlier reports said the hostage-taker was one of the mall's utility workers. —ALG, GMA News