Man takes 10-year-old boy hostage

Manila, Philippines - An icepick-wielding man, who reportedly walked all the way from Cavite to Quezon City just to be with his mother, took a 10-year-old boy hostage early yesterday morning.

The hostage drama lasted for more than three hours.

 Quezon City Police District director Chief Superintendent Mario dela Vega identified the hostage taker as Reimer Gringo Palparan, 24, jobless. He will be slapped with charges of serious illegal detention.

The boy was rescued unharmed when the hostage-taking incident ended at about 7 a.m., said Superintendent Norberto Babagay, commander of the Quezon City Police District Station 11. Babagay led the negotiations to pacify the suspect.

Police said the hostage drama started at 3:45 a.m. when Palparan suddenly grabbed the boy, who was with his grandmother, inside a building along E. Rodriguez Avenue in Barangay Kristong Hari.

Armed with an icepick, the suspect held the boy hostage as he demanded to see his mother, who was a neighbor of the victim.

After failing to convince the suspect to surrender, police asked Palparan’s mother identified as Eufrecina to talk to her son.

At this juncture, policemen took the opportunity to pounce on the suspect and rescue the victim unscathed.