Mother, daughter rescued from male relative who held them hostage in QC

Police recently rescued a mother and daughter who were held hostage by their own relative for four hours in Quezon City earlier this week.

The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) said the suspect, armed with a bladed weapon, detained his aunt and cousin on the second floor of a house in Barangay Batasan Hills, Quezon City.

According to an “Unang Balita” report by James Agustin, one of the victims secretly recorded a video of the hostage-taking, which showed the suspect brandishing a bladed weapon.

“Hinold sila ng suspek doon sa kwarto and nagulat na lang yung mga victims, ‘di na sila pinapalabas ng suspek doon sa kwarto, and tinutukan daw sila nung bladed weapon. ‘Yun ay gunting na hinati sa dalawa then tinutukan daw sila,” said Police Lieutenant Colonol Aljun Belista, Batasan Police Station commander.

(The suspect held them inside the room and the victims were surprised [that] he wouldn’t let them out, and pointed a bladed weapon at them. It was a pair of scissors that was split in half and brandished at them.)

The QCPD said they immediately began negotiations that lasted around four hours and eventually convinced the suspect to voluntarily free his victims and turn himself in. Mother and daughter were both unharmed.

Belista said the suspect’s only request was to talk to his uncle.

“Sabi ko sa kanila, kausapin nila kasi ‘yun naman ‘yung demand. And actually, madami pang tinawagan na kapamilya, until mga 5 pm bumigay na din siya, sumuko na din,” Belista said.

(I told them to talk to him because that was the demand. And actually, we also called many other relatives of theirs until he surrendered at around 5 p.m.)

The QCPD added that the suspect had previous cases for robbery, frustrated murder, murder, resistance and disobedience to a person in authority.

He was recently released from detention in the past two weeks for a case of violating Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.

“Pakiramdam ko na mayroon pong nag-aantay sa akin, mayroon pong nag-aabang. Pasensya na po sa kamag-anak ko. ‘Di na po mauulit. Tatanggapin ko po ito, na makulong na lang po ako,” the suspect said.

(I feel like someone had been waiting for me, watching me. I ask for understanding from my relatives. I won’t do it again. I will accept this, to be jailed again.)

The suspect will be facing a complaint for serious illegal detention, the QCPD added. — JMA, GMA Integrated News