BACOLOD CITY - A seafarer, who was reportedly under the influence of illegal drugs, was arrested after he allegedly took his mother hostage inside their house in Barangay 4, Victorias City, Negros Occidental on Friday night.
Police arrested Andrew Grecia, 39.
Victorias City Police Chief Lt. Col. Eduardo Corpuz said police responded to Grecia’s house when they heard three gunshots at around 7 p.m. The suspect’s residence was only about 200 meters away from the police station.
The suspect fired his sniper rifle three times, and later held his 73-year-old mother hostage, Corpuz said.
Corpuz said the suspect has not slept for a few days already after having had a problem with his former girlfriend.
“It probably triggered him to be violent. Iba-iba na iyong lumalabas sa bunga-bunga 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 it took them almost seven hours of negotiation until they were able to subdue the suspect, who went out of the house after he was able to talk to his ex-girlfriend over the phone.
He said the suspect came home last August, and was supposed to stay here for just three weeks.
He said the suspect was somehow hallucinating, probably due to the effects of illegal drugs, when he was talking to the police.
Corpuz said the police were eventually able to subdue him peacefully.
Authorities recovered from him a sachet of shabu, a loaded Remington sniper rifle, and some live ammunition.
The suspect is now under police custody, and will be facing charges for alarm and scandal, illegal possession of firearm and ammunition, and illegal possession of dangerous drugs.