Murder suspect in Lanao del Norte killed after 18-hour hostage drama

LINAMON, Lanao del Norte — A murder suspect who resisted arrest by taking his wife hostage, was killed on Sunday, Dec. 6, after an 18-hour drama that gripped their small community in Tagoloan town, Lanao del Norte.

Col. Rolando Suguilon, Lanao del Norte police director, told the Inquirer that Mohammad Ali Abdulwahid was slain in a shootout with a team of police and Army as he fled their residence to elude the law enforcers.

Suguilon said that tear gas was released at around 12:30 p.m. inside Abdulwahid’s house where he was using his second wife as a human shield so law enforcers could not get near him.

The suspect was reportedly armed with an M14 rifle and a hand grenade.

As smoke filled the house, Abdulwahid escape through a back door while firing his rifle, Suguilon said.

He was met with a barrage of retaliatory fire from police and Army troopers who cordoned off the house, ending the hostage drama that began at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday.

To prevent policemen from serving the arrest warrants against him, he had fired at them and then took his second wife hostage.

A police officer was hit in the neck but was declared safe in a hospital in Iligan City where he was rushed for treatment.

To prevent further bloodshed, the authorities had tried to talk Abdulwahid out of violence. But at one point in the negotiation for his surrender, the suspect shot his wife’s left leg.

Suguilon said the suspect’s relatives, including Tagoloan town mayor Maminta Dimakuta, pleaded for Abdulwahid to give up and respect the law, to no avail.

Abdulwahid was facing a charge for murder and two counts of attempted murder, according to Suguilon.

As the hostage drama ended, the suspect’s wife was rescued and rushed to a hospital for treatment.

Recovered from his possession were the M14 rifle he used to assault the law enforcers and the hand grenade.

Scene Of the Crime Operatives are still conducting investigation in the area as of posting time.

The joint law enforcement team was composed of personnel from the police’s Regional Mobile Force Battalion, Special Action Force, and augmentation force from other Lanao del Norte police stations like nearby Baloi town, and the Army’s 4th Mechanized Infantry Battalion, Suguilon said.

JE