‘Hostage-taker’ faces charges

Suspect charged with serious illegal detention for holding hostage a 7-year-old girl in Apas

Prosecutor Van Russel Inopiquez finds evidence to file a serious illegal detention case against Paul Guigue, 25, who held hostage Ariel Lloveras Guinto in Barangay Apas, Cebu City

FOR holding a sevenyear-old girl captive, a man will face trial in court after he was charged by the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office.

Prosecutor Van Russel Inopiquez found evidence to file a serious illegal detention case against Paul Guigue, 25, who held hostage Ariel Lloveras Guinto (not Ginto as reported earlier) in Barangay Apas, Cebu City.

No bail was set for the accused.

Inopiquez resolved the case after Guigue opted not to file his counter-affidavit.

Last Wednesday morning, Guigue suddenly seized Guinto while she was playing outside her house.

Scissors He used a pair of scissors and an improvised ice pick to keep other adults at bay.

A witness, Ronelo Lomo, said in his affidavit he was stunned when he saw Guigue grab the child.

“I asked Paul what was his problem but he only answered that he was not joking and poked a pair of scissors into the neck of the girl,” said Lomo.

Guigue, who hails from Panglao, Bohol, held Guinto captive inside the house owned by his parents. Security guard During the incident, the child’s father was on duty as a security guard at a mall in Barangay Banilad, while her mother was

in Carbon Public Market.

Neighbors gathered around Paul. They offered food to the accused, but the latter refused to accept.

Rescue Lomo said Guigue threatened to kill the girl if someone would try to rescue her.

After they were called, the Motorcycle Response Unit (MRU) of the Special Weapons and Tactics (Swat) group responded, along with the Mobile Pa- trol Group and the Mabolo Police.

Guinto was not hurt, but she was shaken. She was given oxygen as she had difficulty breathing.

Cebu City Police Office Director Melvin Ramon Buenafe led the negotiation and persuaded Guigue to let Guinto go by telling him he would not be harmed.

After a few minutes of negotiation, Guigue handed the child over to Buenafe and surrendered.