Pasig City hostage-taker demands Tulfo brothers

MANILA, Philippines – The man holding two persons hostage in Pasig City has demanded the intervention of two of the three Tulfo brothers.

Jeff Repayo – who seized at gunpoint Ricardo Cruz, 49 and not 47 as earlier reported, and the latter’s daughter Christine around 2 a.m. Thursday – said he wanted to talk to Ben and Raffy Tulfo first before surrendering to authorities.

In his bid to escape pursuing police, Repayo barged into the two-story house owned by the Cruz family in Ramos Compound in Rosario village and took hostage Ricardo and Christine.

Ricardo’s wife, Vivien, was able to escape by jumping out the window.

Police said members of the Special Weapons and Tactic (SWAT) have been deployed in the compound, making residents unable to sleep.

They said before the hostage-taking, Repayo engaged policemen in a motorcycle chase. When cornered, he slipped the police cordon and fled on foot to the Rosario compound.

Repayo, police said, is wanted for various crimes.