CamSur hostage drama not mishandled, say authorities

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – Police authorities and local officials in Camarines Sur have dismissed criticisms that law enforcers mishandled the hostage-taking incident in Pili town on New Year’s Eve that left five people dead.

The hostage-taker, Anthony Zepeda, 35, shot dead his father Expidito, brother Victor, sister-in-law Charmane Zepeda, and their housemaid, Emily Nacario, using an Armalite rifle and a .45-caliber pistol before killing himself in their residence in Barangay New San Roque, Pili town.

Superintendent Ramiro Bausa, Camarines Sur police director, said his team handled the incident properly by acceding to the request of the Zepeda family not to conduct any assault and exhaust all peaceful means to convince Anthony to release his hostages.

“In fact, we did all the negotiations to convince the suspect to release his hostages peacefully. That’s why it took us several hours before we decided to break into the Zepeda residence,” Bausa said in several media interviews after the incident.

Pili Vice Mayor Nong Regondola, who headed the crisis committee, said they negotiated for the safe release of the hostages, but to no avail.

“We did everything. We gave way to the request of the (Zepeda family) to resolve the incident without sacrificing lives but to no avail because the suspect seemed to be suffering from depression that pushed him to do what he did,” Regondola said.

The failed negotiations lasted for eight hours.

A policeman and two personnel of a funeral parlor were wounded when a grenade pinned to Anthony’s clothes went off while they were retrieving the bodies.

Chief Superintendent Victor Deona, Bicol police director, has instructed the Camarines Sur police to submit a comprehensive report on the incident.

The hostage-taker was reportedly hooked on prohibited drugs after his wife left him several months ago.