MANILA, PHILIPPINES — On Sunday morning, police killed three men who tried to escape from the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) custodial center. One of the men took former senator Leila de Lima hostage.
At 6:30 am on Sunday, three detainees – Feliciano Sulayao, Arnel Cabintoy and Idang Susukan – stabbed Cpl. Roger Agustin using an improvised knife to try and escape from the custodial center inside Camp Crame.
When another police officer noticed the commotion, he tried to stop the detainees before shooting two of them – Arnel Cabintoy and Idang Susukan, a known Abu Sayyaf member.
Meanwhile, the third member Feliciano Sulayao managed to run inside the detention center and held former Senator Leila de Lima hostage.
Sulayao refused when police tried to negotiate. He was shot by Col. Mark Pespes when the officers found the opportunity after he requested a glass of water.
The hostage drama ended around 7:18 am, according to police.
When asked about her time as a hostage, De Lima shared that the event was a near-death experience.
“After being told by the hostage-taker that since his two other companions were already dead, he’s certain he would also be killed and he might just as well also kill me, I consider what happened to me as a near-death experience,” she said.
“If not for the timely intervention of the PNP security force, I don’t think I would have come out alive since the hostage-taker was already determined to die and take me with him,” she added.
According to reports, De Lima is “unscathed” and has been transferred to a different location in the custodial center where Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada were once detained.
Brigadier General Roderick Augustus Alba said that the police stabbed is in critical condition, and an investigation is underway.
“Tension inside the detention facility has been defused and the situation has returned to normal while investigation is ongoing to review the security protocols inside the PNP Custodial Center,” Alba said.
PNP chief, General Rodolfo Azurin, has also ordered an “in-depth investigation” on the attempted escape.
The Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) and commandos from the Special Action Force (SAF) were called in to investigate and secure the detention facility. – WhatALife!
Also read: Rafael Ragos retracts testimony in De Lima drug case
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