CEBU, Philippines - Jealousy drove a 34-year-old man to take hostage his 11-year-old adopted daughter in Barangay Kanhumawad, Dumanjug yesterday dawn.
The five-hour hostage-taking incident started at two o’clock in the morning and ended at around six a.m. yesterday. Jeffrey Carsolin asked his wife Roquesa about a certain Jun, whom he believes is the boyfriend of his wife.
But his wife insisted that she does not know where Jun is, because they haven’t spoken for a long time now because of Carsolin’s jealousy.
The couple argued.
Carsolin later grabbed their adopted daughter and pointed an eight-inch scythe (pinuti) at her. Roquesa was able to run outside and ask their neighbors for help. When Carsolin did not calm down, the neighbors sought the help of the police.
Chief Inspector Rolan Aliser, Dumanjug police chief, immediately made plans on how to go about pacifying Carsolin.
They made one police officer crawl at the back of the house, while two were monitoring the situation from a distance, ready to fire at the suspect when necessary.
During negotiations, Carsolin’s uncle approached him in an effort to make him surrender but Carsolin refused. At this point, Aliser decided to serve as negotiator. However, he did not tell Carlison that he was a policeman.
Carlison did not initially know who he was talking to, as it was dark. He thought he was talking to one of the neighbors.
The police chief was able to gain the trust of Carlison, who told him it is Jun that he wants. Aliser told Carlison that Jun was already on his way.
But in the course of their conversation, Carlison realized he was talking to a policeman, whose companions were inching their way towards him.
Apparently out of panic, Carlison attempted to stab the child. The police, however, was quicker than the suspect. They jumped at him and grabbed the knife.
PO1 Sabiniano Saromines was wounded in his left hand.
Carlison is now detained at the Dumanjug jail. — Mylen P. Manto/WAB