4 women hostages freed

Four women, including one who was six months pregnant, were released safely early Friday after a man took them hostage in Makati City.

Case investigator SPO1 Wilfredo Leano Alvarez Jr. said 35-year-old Ruben Azares pointed a kitchen knife and held hostage four of their tenants at No. 9525 Kalayaan Ave., Barangay Guadalupe Viejo, at 9:35 p.m. on Thursday.

Police identified the hostages as Jocelyn Cherkes, 30; Genevieve Guiang, 22; Aiza Amo, 30, and pregnant Beverly Morales, 25,  all occupying a room on the lower ground floor of the house owned by Azares’ grandmother, Encarnacion Pacasco.

Hostage negotiator SPO2 Marlon Ermino eventually persuaded the suspect to release the hostages and surrender to authorities.