By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – A seafarer was arrested after he allegedly held hostage his mother inside their house at Barangay 4, Victorias City, Negros Occidental last Friday.
Police collared Andrew Grecia, 39, who was reportedly under the influence of illegal drugs, and also for illegal discharge of firearm that night.
Lieutenant Colonel Eduardo Corpuz, city police chief, said the suspect fired his sniper rifle three times and later allegedly held hostage his 73-year-old mother.
Police went to Grecia’s house when they heard the gunshots around 7 p.m. Friday, considering that the suspect’s residence was only about 200 meters from the police station.
Corpuz said Grecia came home last August and was supposed to stay here for just three weeks. However, he had a problem with his former girlfriend, causing him to have sleepless nights, the police chief added.
“Iba-iba na iyong lumalabas sa bunganga niya, lahat na lang nagdududa siya, parang nawalan na ng bait sa sarili, iyon siguro nag trigger sa kanya,” Corpuz said.
Corpuz said that Grecia’s mother was able to get out of the house an hour later. She was unharmed.
He said they called the suspect’s ex-girlfriend to help them with the negotiation.
It took them almost seven hours 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 added.
He said they were able to arrest Grecia peacefully and with no injuries.
Authorities recovered from him an empty shell of caliber .308 ammuntion, 22 live ammunitions of the same caliber, a Remington sniper rifle loaded with two live ammunitions, a live .22-caliber ammunition, a live caliber 5.56 ammunition, and a sachet of suspected shabu.
He said Grecia was somehow hallucinating, probably due to the effects of the illegal drugs, when they talked to him.
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.
