Hostage-taker yields after wounding 2 captives

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—A 13-hour hostage drama inside the Pampanga provincial jail here ended at 2 p.m. yesterday, with the suspect yielding to his sister but not after wounding two of his three hostages.

Wilfredo Lorilla, 34, surrendered after Edwin Mangaliman, the provincial warden, presented the suspect’s elder sister who was fetched by policemen from San Carlos City in Pangasinan, said Senior Supt. Edgardo Tinio, Pampanga police director. The sister asked not to be named because her husband works in the military.

Mangaliman sought the help of Sgt. Edwin Jardenico, a jail personnel who spoke Ilonggo, to communicate with Lorilla, a native of Iloilo, Tinio said. Lorilla is held at the provincial jail for attempted murder.

Initial investigation showed that Lorilla, armed with a kitchen knife, first held Jonathan Miranda at Cell No. 8 at 1 a.m. Police and jail officials could not say how and where Lorilla got the knife.

Lorilla released Miranda, who suffered cuts, when Miranda feigned a heart attack.

Lorilla then took Rosito Bacani hostage but Bacani escaped by jumping from the second floor. Lorilla then turned to Bernard Narciso who he held until he surrendered.  Tonette Orejas, Inquirer Central Luzon