Man goes berserk, holds friend hostage in plaza

CEBU, Philippines - A man is now detained at Cordova Police Station after he allegedly held hostage his own minor friend while they were celebrating Christmas near Poblacion Park in Cordova town last Thursday dawn.

The suspect was identified as Wimar Talyao, 19, of Sitio Ubos in Barangay Poblacion while the victim was identified as Steven Capuno, 16, of Barangay Catarman, Cordova.

According to SPO1 Laurecio Wagwag, the desk officer of Cordova town, the victim together with some of his friends were gathered at the Poblacion plaza last Wednesday evening up to the dawn of Chirstmas when suddenly the suspect, who was also among their circle of friends, arrived  and sat beside the victim.friends.

After a few minutes, the suspect took a hand knife from his waist and grabbed the victim and aimed the weapon on his neck, police said.

Witnesses said the victim could not do anything but to plead to his friend to set him free but the suspect did not grant his request and instead brought him inside a convenience store. Customers in the said establishment scampered away for fear.

Responding policemen came and tried to pacify and negotiate for the release of the victim, however, whenever one of them tried to come near the suspect and to take the hand knife, the more the suspect would aim the weapon on the victim’s neck.

However, after more than an hour of negotiation, the victim was given the chance to hold tightly the forearm of the suspect and a scuffle ensued between the two and it was at this point that the police was able to grab the hand knife from the suspect and helped free the victim.

Angered by  the incident, the residents who witnessed the whole hostage-taking then took turns in punching the suspect which caused him injuries in the different parts of his body.

The suspect was brought to the Mactan Doctors' Hospital for medical treatment, however, while inside the hospital, he "went wild" again and the police decided to just bring him for detention at the Cordova Police Station and have the municipal nurse treat his wounds.

SPO1 Wagwag said the suspect is still detained at the police station pending the filing of appropriate charges against him.

However, Wagwag also said that while in detention, the suspect remained handcuffed and attached to the detention’s railings for fear that he will again go berserk and may cause injuries to the other prisoners.