‘Hostage taker’ in Iloilo shot dead by cops after 4-hour standoff

ILOILO CITY— Police said they shot dead a hostage-taker in Estancia town in Iloilo after a four-hour standoff at the municipal police station Thursday afternoon.

A policeman was also wounded while three hostages, including two police civilian employees, managed to escape, Supt. Bonifacio Ancajas, operations officer of the Iloilo Provincial Police Office, told reporters.

At the time information was released to reporters, policemen were verifying if one of the hostages suffered minor wounds.

One of the police civilian employees taken hostage, identified as Michelle Parcon, told Bombo Radyo-Iloilo that she ran away after they were held hostage by Romy Albor outside the police station along with several inmates.

Police gunned down Albor near the Estancia Central Elementary School after he left the police station armed with an M-16 rifle and grenade.

Ancajas said initial investigation showed that Albor first took a hostage in neighboring Balasan town before proceeding on a motorcycle to Estancia, about 154 kilometers northeast of Iloilo City.

He took hostage the civilian employees at the police station around 2 p.m. and had wanted to free detainees at the police station.

Negotiators tried to convince Albor to surrender but the talks broke down.

Albor had previous criminal records involving illegal drugs.

Ancajas said they were  still investigating what triggered Albor’s actions.  SFM