Hostage-taker in Laguna shot dead by police

CAMP PACIANO RIZAL, Laguna–A charcoal maker who took a one-year-old infant hostage was killed by the police after negotiations between him and the responding authorities failed, in Biñan City, Laguna early Saturday.

Senior Supt. Romulo Sapitula, Laguna police director, identified the hostage-taker as Romy Sulayao, whom police said was a native of Samar province and was in his 50s.

In a phone interview, Sapitula said the hostage-taking started around 7:30 a.m., when Sulayao, armed with a knife, took the infant hostage on top of the roof of a “talipapa” (a small wet market) in Barangay (village) Timbao.

“The negotiation lasted for over an hour. He made no demands,” Sapitula said.

He said the police “took their last recourse” by shooting down the suspect when he was about to stab the infant on the chest. Sulayao was hit on the head and died instantly.

The infant was rescued unharmed.

Sapitula said the suspect was a charcoal-maker in Quezon and was only in Laguna visiting his ‘kababayan,’ (townmate) Morsio Casiban. The infant was Casiban’s child.

“We were told that the suspect was having problems with his wife in Samar and appeared not to be in his right mind,” Sapitula said.

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