Greenhills hostage-taker denies ‘tanim droga’ claims vs cops

MANILA, Philippines — Arrested San Juan City hostage-taker Alchie Paray on Wednesday denied insinuations that policemen planted illegal drugs on him when he was arrested for holding at gunpoint around 30 hostages at a mall in Greenhills Shopping Center.

In a video shared by the Eastern Police District, Paray, 40, said authorities were just putting handcuffs on him when they tackled him down after letting go of the hostages.

“Sa akin po, ako mismo ang magsabi hindi po ganun. Maaaring na-misinterpret nila or na-mislooking kung ano man yung nilagay nila. Pero ang totoo po nun kinabitan lang po ako ng posas,” Paray answered when asked by a police officer if the policemen were planting evidence on him.

Hostage taker Alchie Paray with San Juan Chief of Police Col. Jaime Santos. Photo from EPD

(For me, I will surely say that it wasn’t the case. They might have misinterpreted or mislook what they are putting on me. But the real thing is they just placed the handcuffs on me.)

“Yung kaso talaga kung ano lang ‘yung totoo, walang labis walang kulang … Walang naka ano doon na nakasampang reklamo sa akin na illegal possession of illegal drugs. Wala,” he added.

(The case is really what has been the truth, no more, no less… It was not indicated in the case against me about possession of illegal drugs. Nothing.)

The hostage crisis, which lasted for over 10 hours, ended peacefully when Paray, a former security guard in the mall, walked out of the premises and freed his captives. He then faced the media for several minutes and voiced his grievances against his former superiors before police tackled and subdued him.

Edited by JPV