Three-hour hostage-taking ends peacefully in Pasig

A three-hour hostage-taking incident at a private school in Pasig City on Friday ended peacefully with all five hostages, two of them children, released unharmed. A report by GMA News' JP Soriano on “24 Oras” identified the hostage-taker as Emerson Go, 31, who surrendered to the police after negotiations. He was reportedly carrying three guns at the time of the incident. National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina said the incident started at 3:55 p.m. at St. Gabriel International School in Barangay Palatiw and ended at 7:25 p.m. "Suspect surrendered thru successful negotiation by Pasig City police," Espina said in a text message. Aside from the two children, who are Go's nieces, the other hostages were Go's 66-year-old mother Mildren and two house helpers. According to the "24 Oras" report, at around 5 p.m., Go released one of the house helpers followed by his mother. The negotiations between the hostage-taker and the police went on until Go finally surrendered and released the remaining hostages. The “24 Oras” report said there was a Christmas party at the school when the hostage-taking incident occurred. It was still unclear as of posting time what drove Go, who is now in the custody of the police, to take his mother, the househelp and the three children hostage. Initial information reaching the police pointed to family problems. — Gian C. Geronimo/KBK, GMA News