Police end bloody hostage-taking

By BONG PEDALINO (PIA Southern Leyte)
March 3, 2008

SOGOD, Southern Leyte  –  Police operatives of this municipality ended a bloody hostage-taking incident here in the evening of Friday, February 29, killing the suspect who was believed to be mentally-deranged.

The real-life drama, however, claimed the lives of two innocent children.

In a phone call this morning, Senior Police Officer 2 (SPO2) Mario Amolo of the Sogod Police force, identified the slain suspect as Omar Castil Barba, 28 years old, single, and resident of barangay San Pedro, where the event happened.

The two dead kids were identified as Cindey Sacro Castil, 3 years old, and Antoniette Sacro Castil, 6 years old.

Amolo said the police station received a telephone call at about 8:00 in the evening last Friday, informing the police of the ongoing hostage scene in the interior barangay.

Some 52 cops immediately rushed to the crime scene, together with five policemen from the PNP mobile force stationed in the area, according to SPO2 Amolo who was one of those who responded.

Sogod Mayor Sheffered Tan also went to the troubled site after having been informed and appraised of the gravity of the situation.

Initial investigation made by the Police showed that the suspect was in the house of a certain Virginia Sacro having dinner, after which, armed with a bolo, he suddenly held the two kids hostage for no apparent reason and motive.

Earlier, he had nailed a nail in his breast, SPO2 Amolo narrated.

Upon orders by Mayor Sheffered Tan, who could no longer take the commotion inside the house as the hostage-taking drama went on, Police ransacked the house, killing the suspect, Amolo said.