Fugitive MILF rebel takes family hostage, surrenders

A suspected Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) member who took part in a violent jailbreak six years ago surrendered to police more than 14 hours after taking his own family hostage. Willy Mula finally turned over his weapons, which included a .45-cal. pistol, to police authorities Friday morning. Radio station dzBB reported that Mula, who had a pending warrant for his arrest for murder, took hostage even his own granddaughter inside his house in General Santos City. Mula may now face additional charges for the incident, including abduction and illegal possession of firearms. He is among the inmates who escaped in November 2000 during a daring jailbreak where alleged MILF rebels stormed the prison compound and freed commander Tahir Alonto, who was jailed for kidnapping and other crimes. Alonto, meanwhile, was also linked to the Pentagon criminal gang, which had been held responsible for a series of kidnap-for-ransom and robbery incidents in the region. Superintendent Harrison Martinez, General Santos deputy police chief for operations, said in an interview on dzRH radio early Friday that police accommodated Mula's demands to let media practitioners serve as negotiators. According to the dzBB report, Mula supposedly demanded mediamen from local television and radio stations. However, Martinez said police did not accommodate Mula's second demand for a getaway vehicle. "Mula has a murder case in court. We were serving the warrant for his arrest when he ran and took his own family hostage," he said. Initial police reports indicated Mula had with him a grenade and a .45-cal. pistol, but added that he "did not show any sign of violence."-GMANews.TV