'Hostage-taker' charged

Cebu City Prosecutor Van Russel Inopiquez recommended the filing of charges of child abuse in relation to serious illegal detention against Paul Burla Guigue who held hostage a seven-year old girl in Barangay Apas, Cebu City last Wednesday.

There is no bail recommended.

Guigue, 25, jobless, a resident of Sitio CRCI Compound, Apas, Cebu City did not submit his counter affidavit before the prosecutor’s office.

His neighbor, Ronelo Lomo, executed an affidavit against him saying he saw Guigue grabbed Ariel Lloveras Guinto while playing outside his house at 9:20 a.m. Wednesday.

Lomo said he asked the accused what his problem was but the suspect said he was not joking and poked a pair of scissors and an improvised ice pick at the girl.

They tried to offer him food but the suspect ignored them.

Then, the accused threatened to kill the girl if someone goes near him.

Lomo said responding policemen led by Cebu City Director Melvin Ramon Buenafe later arrived.

Buenafe assured Guigue that he will be protected and after more than an hour, the police official was able to convince the hostage-taker to surrender and release the girl.

Carlito Guinto, the father of the victim said that he was on duty as a security guard of a mall in Banilad, Cebu City when the incident happened. He said it was around 11 a.m. when he learned that his daughter was held hostage by their neighbor.

“I immediately informed my co-security guard Ornopia and left my post and hurriedly proceeded to our Sitio where my daughter Ariel was reportedly taken hostage by our neighbor,” his affidavit reads.

When he arrived at their place, he saw the accused held by the police while his daughter was treated by the personnel of the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation (ERUF).    - THE FREEMAN