After gunshots heard, police try to coax cop out of hotel room in Iloilo

ILOILO CITY–Negotiations between police officials and a distraught armed policeman who locked himself up in a hotel room in Iloilo City have dragged to more than 16 hours after the suspect refused to surrender.

PO2 Gary Catedral remained holed up at at the El Haciendro Private Hotel at Barangay Our Lady of Fatima in Jaro District as of 9:12 a.m. Tuesday, nearly 17 hours after staff of the hotel sought police assistance after hearing gunshots from the room around 4:30 p.m. Monday.

“We are exerting maximum efforts to convince him to surrender,” said Insp. Shella Mae Sangrines, media relations officer of the crisis and management team.

Catedral, who is alone and believed to be armed with a hand gun, has threatened to shoot anyone who will attempt to enter his room.

Police officials and colleagues of the Catedral have been negotiating through the door of the hotel room.

Members of the Iloilo City Police Office Public Safety Company, the unit where Catedral is assigned, and the Special Weapons and Tactics team of the Iloilo City Police Office have cordoned off the three-story hotel.

Catedral checked in at Room 1 at the ground floor of the hotel on Dec. 19. and later told the hotel staff that he will be extending his stay.

But the hotel personnel asked for police assistance after hearing gunshots inside the room prompting the evacuation of the staff and an undetermined number of other guests.

Sangrines said Catedral has not made any demands but asked policemen to leave him alone and not forced him to come out.

“We don’t know what his motives are. May it be family of work related, we don’t know,” Sangrines said.

The policeman has not reported for duty for several months, according to Sangrines. He is reportedly also facing administrative and criminal investigation or charges.

Several other gunshots have been heard from the room since the policemen isolated the building, according to Sangrines.

Sangrines said Catedral transferred to another room at the second floor early Tuesday and can be seen through a window. CDG