BACOLOD CITY – A seafarer, who was reportedly under the influence of illegal drugs, was arrested Friday night after he allegedly took his 73-year-old mother hostage inside their house at Barangay 4, Victorias City in Negros Occidental.
Police said seaman Andrew Grecia, 39, was subdued by policemen after almost seven hours of negotiation. Lt. Col. Eduardo Corpuz, city police chief, said police responded to Grecia’s house when they heard three gunshots around 7 p.m. The suspect’s residence is only about 200 meters away from the police station.
The suspect fired his sniper rifle three times and later allegedly held his mother hostage, Corpuz said.
Corpuz said the suspect has not slept for a few days already after having a problem with his former girlfriend.
“It probably triggered him to be violent. Iba-iba na iyong lumalabas sa bunganga niya, lahat na lang nagdududa siya, parang nawalan na ng bait sa sarili,” the police chief added.
Corpuz said it took an hour for the suspect’s mother to get out of the house when she saw an opportunity. She was unharmed.
He said the cops were able to subdue the suspect when he finally went out of the house after he talked with his ex-girlfriend over the phone.
He said the suspect came home last August and was supposed to stay in the country for just three weeks. He said the suspect seemed hallucinating, probably due to the effects of the illegal drugs, when he was being questioned by police.
Authorities recovered from him a shell of 308 caliber, 22 live bullets for the said firearm, a Remington sniper rifle loaded with two live bullets, live bullets for .22-caliber gun, a live bullet for caliber 5.56, and a sachet of suspected shabu.
The suspect is now under police custody and will be charged with alarm and scandal, illegal possession of firearm and ammunition, and illegal possession of dangerous drugs. (Glazyl Masculino)