Man holds family hostage after loan request denied

A man ended up in a Quezon City jail on Sunday for holding hostage the family of his friend who had turned down his request to lend him P2,000.

Benjamin de la Cruz, 58, who has been accused of illegal detention for holding Francisco Cadaing, 55, and his family inside the latter’s house in Barangay (village) Talipapa, is also facing other charges.

De la Cruz, a security guard, also allegedly attempted to rape his friend’s wife and another woman.

After an hourlong negotiation, the suspect came out from the house of a neighbor where he also held hostage three children and an elderly woman.

The suspect was a frequent visitor in the house of the victim, said Talipapa police station commander Supt. Michael Macapagal.

The hostage drama happened at the Cadaings’ home on Apahap Street in Cadaing Village on Sunday.

De la Cruz arrived around 6:40 p.m. that night at his friend’s house.

Being a friend of the family and, he was invited to join the Cadaings for dinner.

After dinner, the suspect reportedly tried to borrow money from his friend, saying he wanted to go back to his hometown.

Macapagal said the suspect had not been reporting for work at the place where he was working as a security guard without notifying his employer.

De la Cruz told Cadaing that he wanted to return to Cabanatuan City since he was now out of a job.

Cadaing, however, turned him down, saying he didn’t have any money to spare.

The rejection apparently angered De la Cruz, who pulled out his .38-cal. revolver, pointing it at Cadaing and his wife Josefina.

The couple and their 14-year-old son, Francis Daniel, were then herded inside a bedroom and were told that they would be killed.

Josefina was ordered to tie up her husband and son. De la Cruz also told her that he would rape her.

She was, however, able to convince him to let her go.

Meanwhile, Cadaing and his son, were able to untie themselves, and ran out of the house.

De la Cruz then left the house and hid inside the home of a neighbor, where he also rounded up the owner, Janette Manalo, three children and an old woman.

The suspect also told Manalo that he would rape her.

Manalo, however, succeeded in running out of room, followed by the suspect, gun in hand.

De la Cruz managed to shoot Manalo in the right arm.

Macapagal said the lights were turned off inside the house, with no one responding to their calls.

Police said they hesitated to rush inside the house as they didn’t know who was inside.

De la Cruz began talking to the law enforcers later, revealing that there were four people inside the house.

The suspect eventually surrendered to the police without making any demands after an hour of negotiations.

The wounded Manalo, meanwhile, was brought to the hospital by the police.

De la Cruz will be charged with illegal detention, frustrated homicide, child abuse, attempted rape and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.