|
| Photo Courtesy || Buhay Lispu & Philippine Star |
Cordillera - The Igorot cop who neutralized the notorious Abu Sayaff member who took hostage of former Senator De Lima was commended for his decisive action during a hostage-taking incident at the Custodial Center of Camp Crame in Quezon City on Sunday.
Col. Mark Pespes, from Tadian Mt. Province was among the three cops who responded and neutralized Abu Sayaff members who attempted to escape the Custodial Center.
Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. lauded the action of Col. Pespes in a press conference late Sunday afternoon.
“Col. Pespes showed decisiveness. He assessed the situation, bought time, and then when the opportunity was presented, he shot the hostage taker and saved Sen. de Lima,” Abalos said.
Pespes said he tried to negotiated with the hostage-taker for 15 minutes before he realized the gravity of the situation.
“The former senator’s life was already in danger so we need to end the situation,” said Pespes who killed the hostage taker after he asked for a bottle of water.
Meanwhile, former Senator De Lima was grateful for the timely intervention of Col. Pespes.
“After being told by the hostage-taker that since his two other companions were already dead, he’s certain he would also be killed and he might just as well also kill me. I consider what happened to me as a near-death experience,” De Lima said in a statement later in the day. “If not for the timely intervention of the PNP security force, I don't think I would have come out alive since the hostage-taker was already determined to die and take me with him.” De Lima said in a statement.
