Father, child dead after taking hostage-taking in Cavite

A man and a young child died after the father took his two kids and a neighbor hostage in Barangay Sampaloc IV in Dasmariñas, Cavite. 

According to Sandra Aguinaldo’s report in “24 Oras” on Tuesday, the suspect stabbed his children, ages five and seven years old. This led to the death of the younger child inside their home. 

The barangay captain tried to pacify the suspect while his wife tried to call relatives for help. 

“Nililibang ko siya kaya lang bigla siyang nawala sa vision ko. Nakarinig na lang ako ng kalabog, alam kong may sinsira na lang siyang pintuan at may mga border na gusto siyang mapasok. Kaya lang pagdating namin sa itaas, sira na yung pintuan,” said Armando Movido, who was a former soldier.

(I was distracting him, but suddenly, he disappeared from my field of vision. I heard a loud thud, and I knew he was already destroying a door and wanted to break through someone’s home. But when we arrived upstairs, the door was already broken.) 

The suspect was able to take another hostage, this time a female neighbor. The police eventually went upstairs in the residential building after heard someone cry out  in pain. 

“Wala na talagang choice ang police, kami, kundi akyatin na siya,” said Movido. 

(We and the police had no other choice but to go get him.)

The suspect died during the rescue attempt. His seven-year-old child and the female hostage were brought to the hospital for treatment. 

A funeral is being held for the suspect and the five-year-old victim. According to the suspect’s wife, he was depressed after falling into debt and she added that he lost appetite because of his problem. —Vince Angelo Ferreras/RF, GMA Integrated News