A MAN, who shot at the police and then held a Roman Catholic priest, surrendered after a two-hour hostage drama in Naawan, Misamis Oriental, yesterday.
Senior Insp. Jay Francis Estigoy, Naawan police chief, identified the suspect as Loverton Ruedas, 37, of Barangay Patag in Naawan town.
He yielded to Senior Insp. Dexter Ceniza of the Iligan police at around 11:45 am.
Estigoy said Ruedas went to the police station carrying a .45 caliber pistol at around 9:30 am. He said police tried to talk him into laying down the gun but he started firing shots at officers instead.
As the police fought back, Ruedas managed to ran to the convent of the San Isidro Labrador Parish Church.
Inside, Estigoy said, Ruedas took hostage the parish priest, Fr. Roniedon Valmoria.
Misamis Oriental Gov. Yevgeny Vincente Emano and provincial police director Senior Supt. Rolando Destura came and set up a crisis management committee.
The crisis committee opened communication channels with Ruedas who said he would only surrender to Ceniza.
After his surrender, Ruedas was brought to the Naawan police station.
Estigoy said they were still trying to find out why Ruedas went to the police station armed and engaged them in a firefight.
Gov. Emano, who chose to stay than catch a Manila-bound plane because of the hostage crisis, said he was glad that no one was hurt in the two-hour hostage drama. He was supposed to leave for Manila to receive a “Kabalikat Award” from the Technical Skills and Development Authority.
He lauded the police for ending the hostage drama without bloodshed.
Emano said the cases against Ruedas would depend on Fr. Valmoria and the police. (nitz arancon)
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