6 hurt as man holds boy hostage in Manila

MANILA, Philippines — Six persons were wounded after a man took a five-year-old boy hostage and forced police officers into a standoff in front of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Sta. Mesa, Manila yesterday morning.

Dominador Abrillo, 38, grabbed the gun of Philippine National Railways security guard Johnrel Jabonillo at around 9:37 a.m., according to Senior Superintendent Vicente Danao Jr., Manila Police District director.

The guard reportedly refused to allow Abrillo to board the train.

Abrillo fired indiscriminately, hitting six persons, who were taken to the Lourdes Hospital and Ospital ng Sampaloc for treatment.

Danao did not identify the victims pending an investigation. 

A policeman who heard the commotion responded and engaged Abrillo in a firefight.

The suspect retreated and grabbed Jayson Abtaje, who was eating at a canteen, and used him as a human shield, said Superintendent Ruben Ramos, MPD Station 8 commander.

Ramos said he and his men responded to the incident and he ordered an officer fluent in Waray to negotiate with the suspect.

After more than an hour of negotiation, Abrillo surrendered and was taken to the MPD’s general assignment and investigation section (GAIS). 

It was past 1 p.m. when GAIS chief Senior Inspector Henry Navarro learned that Abrillo sustained a gunshot wound in the chest, with the bullet ripping through his back. The suspect was rushed to the hospital for treatment.

Drugs, killings

Interviewed in his cell, Abrillo told The STAR that he decided to grab the security guard’s gun because five men had been following him.

Ramos said no one was following Abrillo, who admitted to using illegal drugs.

The suspect said he was saddened by the death of his brother, who was killed in an anti-drug operation in Clark, Pampanga recently.

“How can he be involved in drugs when he just came from working abroad?” Abrillo said in Filipino.

The suspect said he was originally from Abuyog, Leyte and was hiding in Taguig after killing his wife’s lover in 2013.

“I went to her parents’ house and saw her and her lover in a room wearing only underwear so I killed the man,” Abrillo said.

He said he also killed a relative but did not elaborate.