Seaman takes girl hostage, shot dead

A crew member of a passenger vessel docked in Cebu City’s Pier 1 was shot dead after he took a 13-year- old girl hostage inside the MV Filipinas Cebu of Cokaliong Shipping Lines around 6:30 p.m. last night.

Andrew Lendio, a resident of Alegria town and a second officer of the MV Filipinas Butuan, died from a gunshot wound in the nape. Police said Lendio grabbed the girl hostage in the lower economy deck of the vessel and took her to the sun deck while poking a knife at her.

The girl was a 2nd year high school student of Sister of Mary School in Talisay City. She was on her way to her hometown in Antique.

Initial reports said Lendio was under the influence of liquor.

SP04 Rogelio Cañete Jr and P02 Henry Alejandrino responded to the emergency. Chief Insp. Wildemar Tiu, chief of the Waterfront Police Station said that SPO4 Cañete decided to shoot Lendio when the crewman started to stab the girl.

The girl , who suffered a knife wound in the face and a bullet wound in the neck, was brought to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

“She is already stable, and now in the operating room,” said Joel Malaubang, the ship nurse.

Chase Cokaliong, vice president for fleet operations, said the company would take care of the girls’ medical needs.

“We will conduct our own investigation of the incident,” he told reporters.

He said Lendio has been working in the company for many years and had no derrogatory record.

MV Pilipinas Cebu left for Iloilo City at 7 p.m. last night. /with reports from Jhunnex Napallacan and Dale G. Israel