Problematic construction worker takes boy hostage

NOT A DRILL A man holds policemen at bay for about an hour after he takes a boy hostage in Manila. – MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

Five people were hurt when a construction worker under a lot of mental strain grabbed a guard’s gun, fired several shots and took several people, including a 5-year-old boy, hostage outside a train station in Sta. Mesa, Manila, on Monday.

Policemen later convinced Dominador Abrillo, 38, to surrender himself and release the boy who was unharmed.

“My mind has been affected because of all the problems I am facing,” Abrillo told reporters, adding that these had something to do with love and his brothers’ disappearance.

The police said Abrillo was about to board a train at the
Santa Mesa station of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) when he took the gun of PNR security guard Johnrel Jabonillo.

Abrillo told probers that at that time, he saw men with backpacks looking at him, making him paranoid. He said he felt they wanted to kill him.

According to Jabonillo, he was telling people to stay back because a train was approaching when Abrillo suddenly grabbed his 9-mm firearm.

“He ran toward the platform where he took my fellow security guard hostage,” Jabonillo told the Inquirer.

The unnamed security guard, however, resisted and bit Abrillo’s hand, prompting the suspect to let him go.

The commotion caught the attention of PO1 Christian Castor who was assigned at the PNR station.

Castor said he heard people shouting followed by a gunshot.

“The suspect saw me and tried to shoot me so I pulled out my gun and fired at him,” he added.

As Abrillo ran outside the train station, he continued to fire at the police officer, hitting several bystanders, including Jojo Dioleta, who was seated in front of a store.

“He was shooting everyone at close range. I even raised my hand, telling him to stop but he still shot me,” said Dioleta, who was hit in the leg.

Also wounded were Nikko Barroga, 30; Alberto Fernandez, 52; Joyel Agsol, 19, and a 17-year-old girl.

They were taken to a hospital for treatment. The police said none of them suffered serious injuries.

Abrillo again tried to take hostage a man who managed to escape. Growing desperate, the suspect grabbed a young boy and held him at gunpoint for about an hour before he was convinced to give himself up.