Greenhills hostage-taker arrested

Updated @ 1:30 a.m., March 3, 2020

MANILA, Philippines — Security guard Alchie Paray, the hostage-taker of several people inside a mall in Greenhills, San Juan City, was arrested Monday night after he released the hostages and aired his gripes to the media.

At about 8:15 p.m. Paray had agreed to release the 60 to 70 hostages provided that he would be allowed to bring his pistol with him.

After releasing the hostages, he faced the authorities and answered queries from media.

Paray, who had been at his post about two years, alleged that there were corrupt practices in the mall’s management and the agency that he worked for, which was SASCOR Armor Security Agency.

He alleged that there was corruption among the security officials, who he said took bribes from mall tenants.

Paray also claimed that security guards were being sacked without any explanation and investigation.

Normally, there was no rotation scheme implemented among the mall’s security personnel, Paray said.

He alleged that the scheme was only a “strategy” implemented by his superiors to “protect” mall tenants.

“Marami ritong kagaguhan na hindi nabibigyan ng pansin kaya ko naisipan ito na mag-hostage kasi itong sitwasyon na ito, December pa ito,” Paray said. “Dumating sa punto na kailangan na nila maglaglag ng gwardiya na nagtatrabaho para lang protektahan ‘yung mga tenant nila.”

[There has been a lot of shenanigans going on here that have not been noticed. That’s I why I though of taking people hostage. This situation has been going on since December. It came to a point that they had to layoff working guards just to protect their tenants.]

“Hopefully, sana maging aral ito, hindi lang sa establishment na ito pero kahit saan na may nagtatrabaho, lahat tayo diyan ay importante,” he added. “Sa lahat ng management, magrespetuhan tayo. Huwag tayo mismo ‘yung hahamak sa mga kasama natin.”

[Hopefully, this should serve as a lesson, not only for this establishment but for others as well where people working should all be important. To all the managements out there, let’s respect each other. Let’s not put down our colleagues.]

His address to the media was cut short when police officers, including members of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team, pinned him down.

His pistol was seized and he was stripped of his shoes.

Earlier in the day, Paray, a former security guard, stormed the second floor of the mall and took hostage 60 to 70 (initially 30) individuals. The crisis ended in the evening after he released all his hostages.

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