Man high on drugs holds hostage 50 people in Lapu-Lapu hospital

At least 50 individuals including patients, guardians and some medical personnel of a private hospital in Barangay Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City were taken hostage by a man who was believed to be high on drugs past 9 a.m. on Friday.

The suspect was identified as Ale Manguntra Mama, 33, married, a native of Marawi City and temporarily residing at Barangay Gun-ob in Lapu-Lapu City.

PO3 Rudy Janagap, investigator at Hoops Dome Police Station said that at around 9:00 a.m. the suspect entered the Our Lady of the Rule Maternity and General Hospital and suddenly grabbed the 9mm firearm of the lady guard on-duty, Nesi Angco.

Angco, 28, of Black Pearl Security Agency said she was sitting at her desk on the ground floor near the front door of the hospital when Mama, who passed by for the third time, suddenly grabbed her service firearm and ran towards the second floor.

Angco immediately called for police assistance and later followed the suspect.

When she reached Mama at the children’s ward, he was already holding patients, guardians and some medical personnel including his sister and her child on one side of the ward.

“He kept shouting and warning others not to go near or he will harm his hostages,” said Angco in Cebuano.

Mama’s younger sister Edalia Mama Salem, 26, of Barangay Gun-ob, Lapu-Lapu City told Janagap that her brother suddenly entered the ward where her son, who was admitted due to dengue, was accommodated.

“She said Mama was angry and was aiming the gun at her. He pulled the trigger, but it malfunctioned,” said Janagap in Cebuano.

The suspect then went out the ward and hostages heard a single shot. It was later learned that Mama accidentally pulled the trigger while cocking the firearm.

The suspect then returned to the ward, and it was then that the members of the Special Weapons and Tactics Team who were patrolling near the area responded and shouted at the suspect to surrender.

The suspect threw the gun away and immediately surrendered to the police officers at 9:08 a.m.

Mama was placed under arrest and is currently detained at the Lapu-Lapu Police Station 3 pending the filing of charges.

The suspect, who is a tricycle driver, admitted to police that he used shabu before he went to the hospital.

He said he was angry because he wanted to go home to Marawi City but his sister would not let him go.

Meanwhile, Cebu Daily News also tried to get a statement from the Our Lady of the Rule Maternity and General Hospital about the hostage-taking incident but personnel there said they don’t have the authority to speak on behalf of the hospital.