5-year-old child, BJMP officer injured in hostage situation

DIGOS CITY – A five-year-old girl and a Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) officer from the Digos City District Jail-Male Dormitory were injured in a hostage drama lasting over an hour on Sunday, October 20, 2024.

The hostage takers were reportedly three prisoners: alias John, accused of murder; alias Sho, charged with frustrated murder; and alias Boy, who is accused of murder.

Attorney JSupt. Len John Bernal, the director of the county jail, clarified to the media on Sunday afternoon that the two minor victims were the daughters and not nieces, contrary to previous reports, of an inmate who was visiting at the time.

The children were taken hostage by the three prisoners using improvised weapons.

Bernal explained that the negotiations lasted more than an hour, during which the hostage takers demanded to be transported to a barangay in Kiblawan. The situation escalated into violence, prompting the BJMP, Special Weapons and Tactics (Swat) and the police to take action and rescue the children.

The injured BJMP officer was reportedly the first to take action to neutralize the suspects.

A later report confirmed that the injured child was in stable condition.

According to information gathered by SuperBalita Davao, staff at the Digos City District Jail were alerted around noon when they saw on a CCTV monitor three inmates holding two children hostage.

The prison guards responded quickly, leading to a tense situation.

No media personnel were allowed inside, but based on SuperBalita Davao’s follow-up by authorities, it was confirmed that the two children were being held and were already bleeding.

It was also learned that the two children were visiting with their families when they were suddenly grabbed by the three men and held hostage.

The three men, identified as members of the B’laan tribe, had been arrested by authorities in a remote area of ​​Davao del Sur in successive operations.

The prisoners reportedly demanded their release in exchange for the release of the children.

The tense situation in the prison of the Digos urban district lasted almost two hours, during which rapid negotiations by the authorities led to the safe rescue of the children.

At around 2:25 p.m., a vehicle was seen quickly leaving the Digos City District Jail, carrying one of the children, who was visibly bleeding and believed to be on his way to the hospital. JRN, JPC