Police use tear gas to arrest VM

MARILAO, Bulacan – Police used force and tear gas Friday to arrest a former vice mayor who locked himself inside his room for 20 hours to avoid being arrested for qualified theft.

Police identified the town executive as Andre Santos who served as Marilao vice mayor from 2013 to 2016. His warrant was issued by Paranaque Regional Trial Court Branch 195 Judge Aida Estrella.

On Thursday, Santos refused to let the arresting officers inside his residence in Barangay Poblacion and barricaded himself in his room in the second floor, threatening to hurl a grenade if policemen make their move.

Through a cell phone interview by the media, Santos said that he has no plan to surrender and denied allegations of drug use. He said his opponents are using the qualified theft case filed against him to ruin his political career.

Police, backed by a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team, allowed Senior Supt. Chito Bersaluna to negotiate with Santos while Governor Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado and Vice Governor Daniel R. Fernando assessed the situation.

After 20 hours of negotiations failed to convince Santos to give up, the SWAT team started to position at the rooftop.

Electricity was cut off and gun was reportedly fired from the barricaded room.

Police lobbed a tear gas canister, flushing out Santos who smashed one of the windows to get out.

Santos was collared at around 4 p.m. by SWAT members who pulled him up to the rooftop.

According to the relatives, the case filed against Santos might be related to his lending business.

They said that Andre failed to recover the money he lent to borrowers, forcing his business partner to file a case against him.