A 30-year-old man took his brother hostage in Tondo, Manila after the sibling declined to accompany him out of their neighborhood, according to Jonathan Andal’s report on 24 Oras on Tuesday.
The tense standoff lasted more than half an hour as the 28-year-old victim tried to calm his older sibling, who was armed with a knife.
“Ang sabi ng suspect natin ay susuko lamang po siya kung darating yung kanyang magulang. Pagkadating ng nanay niya, agad silang nag-iyakan. Sinuko na rin niya ang kutsilyo at sinurrender ang kanyang sarili,” said Manila Police Station 2 Commander Police Lieutenant Colonel Alvin Baybayan.
(The suspect said he would only surrender if his parents arrived. When his mother came, they cried, and he surrendered his knife and himself.)
The suspect claimed he committed the crime because his siblings refused to accompany him to Quiapo, where he had found a new place to stay after receiving threats in their Tondo neighborhood.
“Paano naman ako kapag inano ako sa lugar namin, pinatay ako. Siyempre hindi ako makaalis mag-isa dahil inaabangan na lang din ako,” the suspect said.
(What if someone kills me? I can’t leave on my own because someone could be waiting for me out there.)
However, police explained that the victim couldn’t accompany his brother because he was tending to his sick wife in the hospital.
The suspect later admitted that he was under the influence of drugs during the incident.
While the victim was unharmed, police said he still planned to file charges against his brother.
“Gusto nila bigyan ng leksyon ang kanilang kapatid,” said Baybayan.
(They want to teach their brother a lesson.)
The suspect will face charges for grave threat, grave coercion, alarm and scandal, and illegal possession of a bladed weapon.
The suspect had previously been detained for illegal drug use and robbery.
“Humihingi ako ng sorry, sana mapatawad ako ng kapatid ko,” the suspect said.
(I’m very sorry for what happened. I hope my brother can still forgive me.) — Vince Angelo Ferreras/DVM, GMA Integrated News
