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COTABATO CITY, (Philippines): Police shot the man who forcibly entered a house in Barangay Sabala Manao Proper, Marawi City on Sunday (Dec 21), and took a six-year-old girl hostage.
Lt. Colonel Jopy Ventura, spokesperson for the Police Regional Office in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (Pro-Bar), said the still unidentified man forcibly entered the house at 7.50am, seized the girl and threatened her with a kitchen knife when a policeman in civilian clothes happened to pass by and initiated negotiations with the intruder.
Senior Master Sergeant Sohair Solaiman of the Molundo municipal police station happened to be jogging in the area when he saw what was happening and started to talk to the suspect, said Ventura.
“He attempted to negotiate for the victim’s release but instead of heeding him, the suspect became aggressive and began harming the child, causing injuries to her face and arm,” Ventura said.
He added that the suspect, believed to be under the influence of illegal substances, remained unfazed even amid the arrival of additional police officers from the Marawi City police station.
This prompted Solaiman to shoot the suspect, hitting him in the left cheek and body, which resulted in his immediate death, according to Ventura.
Authorities are still investigating the background of the suspect, who was not a resident of Marawi City.
Brig. General Jaysen de Guzman, director of Pro-Bar, commended the responding officers for their alertness and professionalism even as he assured the public of the police’ commitment to protect lives and uphold public safety. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
