An 8-year-old-child held hostage for almost three hours by a suspected holdupper, was rescued last night by a Kabankalan policeman in Sitio Samac, Mabinay Oriental Negros.

Judita Baydal, a Grade I pupil of Lorenzo Zayco Elementary School in Sitio Lukni, Brgy. Hilamunan, Kabankalan City was held hostage by a suspect who had earlier robbed and stabbed Nena De la Flor at the public market of Sitio Linagasan in the barangay.

Police investigations show that the unidentified suspect sought refuge in the house of the Baydal family in Sitio Lukni, from irate residents who heard the calls for help of De la Flor.

De la Flor was brought to the Kabankalan District Hospital with stab wounds in her neck.

SPO1 Abaraham Togalon, Kabankalan PNP desk officer, told the DAILY STAR last night that the hostage-taker, armed with a bladed weapon, took the minor hostage, while demanding for a motorcycle with a driver from the Kabankalan police led by Insp. Louie Figueroa who responded to the incident.

Figueroa tasked PO2 Rafael Gimoto II to pose as driver of the motorcycle to be used as a getaway vehicle of the suspect.

Gimoto, who was being followed by the Kabankalan police, made the motorcycle skid on the highway of Sitio Samac in Mabinay and successfully rescued the minor unharmed at about 7 p.m.

The hostage taker, however, managed to escape under the cover of darkness.*GPB

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