22-hour Olongapo hostage drama ends

OLONGAPO CITY — Police stormed a two-story house here past noon yesterday and subdued two men believed to be drug-crazed who took the caretaker hostage for 22 hours.

Charges are now being readied against hostage-takers Marlon Uklaray, 23, and Raymond Racella, who were armed with a caliber .38 revolver, a caliber .32 pistol and a handgrenade when they grabbed Noli Tabillas.

Police said all three were engaged in a drinking bout when the suspects, said to be high on drugs, held Tabillas hostage at about 12:30 p.m. last Monday.

Uklaray fired his gun, alerting the residents of Barangay Barretto to the hostage-taking. He and Racella then tied up Tabillas, poured gasoline on him and placed him near a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tank to prevent lawmen from rescuing him.

During the negotiations, the suspects demanded P200,000 and a getaway vehicle. Uklaray’s mother, Arcelli, rushed to the scene and pleaded with her son to give up.

Even barangay leaders, mediamen and relatives talked to Uklaray and Racella on cellular phones and tried to persuade them to surrender.

After their efforts failed, police cut off power to the house. Hurling teargas canisters, they barged into the room where the suspects kept Tabillas and subdued them. — With Ric Sapnu<