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MANILA, Philippines – Hunger was the reason why a man held hostage two children inside a bus full of passengers along the North Luzon Expressway on Monday afternoon, a Radyo Inquirer 990AM report said Tuesday.
Senior Superintendent Edgardo Ladao, Pampanga police director, was quoted as saying that the incident involving Pedro Brine, 44, was “heart-breaking” as he had no intention of hurting anyone.
The report said that Brine and his five-year-old child had not eaten for more than a day, with their last meal being Sunday morning.
Brine was from Catarman, Northern Samar and was on his way to his work in a piggery in Cutud village in Pampanga, the report said.
Brine, who was aboard the Five Star bus bound for Pangasinan, grabbed two children as the bus reached Mexico, Pampanga at 2:25 p.m. and armed with a knife threatened to harm them if the driver did not to take him to Dau, Pampanga. He was with four other companions who, according to the report, were surprised at Brine’s action.
Police Officer 2 Eduardo Santiago who was off-duty that time voluntarily took over for the driver to earn Brine’s trust but was stabbed in the back by the suspect when they reached Dau.
Santiago rammed the bus in a dump truck after being stabbed but was able to shoot and kill Brine, the report said.
After 10 minutes, the bus stopped past the SM Hypermarket in Barangay (village) Mabiga in Mabalacat.
Santiago and the children suffered minor injuries and have been declared out of danger, the report said.
Ladao said that Santiago, who suffered a stab wound in the chest, was taken to the Mabalacat District Hospital and could be given a spot promotion.
For the report, listen to Radyo Inquirer, 990AM.