Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas. INQUIRER file photo / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA
SAN JUAN CITY, Philippines — Allowing hostage-taker Alchie Paray to come out and surrender while still armed was the “judgment call” had to make to ensure the safe release of the hostages.
National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas explained that Paray, a former security guard, had insisted to bring his gun with him upon leaving the building as he only agreed to leave his grenade.
“It’s a judgment call between one person versus 40. Can you just imagine if we keep on insisting na ‘wag dalhin ‘yun, hindi siya lalabas,” Sinas told reporters in a press conference on Tuesday.
He revealed that there were five snipers on standby in the area should the hostage-taker decide to draw his gun.
“I’m confident that my snipers could take a headshot. Any overt act na bubunot lang siya, automatic takedown. ‘Yun ‘yung instruction,” he said.
If Paray did not show any overt act to draw his gun, authorities were instructed to stand down and just let him talk, Sinas said. He explained that this was a diversionary tactic that allowed the police to search for the grenade that Paray had left behind in the building.
“Kailangan pa natin ‘yung mga bagay-bagay na hanapin… Ang isip namin originally wala naman siguro damages kung magsalita siya,” Paray added.
When police and members of the Special Weapons and Tactics team pinned down Paray at around 8:44 p.m. on Monday, they were able to seize from him a pistol, two magazines with 16 live ammunition and one tactical knife.
Paray initially said that he possesses four grenades but later revealed that he had only one grenade and the rest were star apples.