A TWO-hour hostage drama erupted Sunday at the Davao del Sur jail leaving four jail officers, three inmates, and a visiting minor hurt.
The hostage-taking incident unfolded after three lonely persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) grabbed the two young visitors of a co-prisoner and held them hostage inside a jail vehicle parked inside the compound.
The hostage-takers held their young captives at the point of improvised knives, threatening to do them harm if their demands were not met.
Meanwhile, jail officials were alerted and elements of the elite Special Tactics and Response (STAR) team responded to the crime scene, along with Gov. Yvonne Cagas who helped in the negotiations.
Initial investigations disclosed that the hostage-takers, identified only as Elly, Bert, and Dan, grabbed the two children, one of them a six-year-old girl, who were visiting a relative who was observing his birthday.
The hostage=-takers were jealous of the birthday celebrator who had visitors while no relative or loved one had seen them for a long time.
A scuffle ensued as the STAR men tried to subdue the hostage takers, resulting in injuries to the three jail officers, the three hostage-takers, and the girl.
