Cops kill hostage taker in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines — Police officers shot dead a hostage taker in an hourlong-incident that took place on Monday noon in Ipil town, Zamboanga Sibugay.

Eduardo Pijana Andres, 42, a jobless man from Barangay Loboc in Tungawan town, died from a single gunshot to the head as he was pointing a pistol at the head of a female hostage outside the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Barangay Tiayon.

Andres first reportedly took hostage Rogelio Catacutan, 75, in what police said looked like a robbery attempt. Failing to get any valuables from Catacutan, Andres hit the old man in the head with a pistol.

Andres then boarded the tricycle of Zandro Cingco, 45, and went to the LTO where he forced two women —Marilyn Panghilayan, 62, and Irene Layson, 41 — to get into a room. Panghilayan was able to escape during the commotion.

After some time, the suspect grabbed Layson outside the LTO office where police officers had already positioned themselves.

According to Col. Albert Larubis, chief of the  Zamboanga Sibugay Police Provincial Office, the authorities asked Andres to let go of his gun and surrender peacefully.

Instead, Andres pointed the gun at the victim and opened cocked its hammer, prompting a police officer to fire at him.

According to Larubis, the action taken by the police officers was appropriate to the situation, saving the life of the hostage.

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