A marital spat that turned into a hostage-taking on Sunday morning spurred the Las Pi帽as police to call into action its Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team.
The incident lasted from 2:30 a.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday at the Dasa Compound in Barangay (village) Zapote and ended with the hostage taker being subdued and the victim, his wife, emerging unscathed.
The hostage-taker, identified as Daniel Villarin, 28, was high on drugs at that time, Las Pi帽as police chief Senior Supt. Adolfo Samala said in a phone interview.
鈥淚t was a mere domestic row at the beginning. The couple were heard by the neighbors shouting and cursing at each other,鈥� Samala added.
But when the neighbors spotted Villarin wielding a kitchen knife, they did not hesitate to alert the police.
A SWAT team was immediately dispatched to the area but Villarin, who was resisting arrest, took his wife hostage.
鈥淲hen the SWAT team members saw the wife struggling, they 鈥� overpowered [her husband],鈥� Samala said.
Charges will be filed against Villarin, who is now detained at the city police station, he added.