Wednesday, July 04, 2007 Execs, cops avert Agora hostage case By Lizanilla J. Amarga
A ONE-hour hostage incident rocked the Agora vegetable landing area Tuesday morning.
Police reported that around 3 a.m. Tuesday 34-year-old Benjamin "Roger" Duallo barged into the residence of his younger brother Armando "Tata" Duallo and the latter's wife Ruby Duallo at the Agora Vegetable Landing area, Lapasan this city.
Roger was armed with three knives and one steel sharpening tool and was said to be drunk when he was met by Ruby whom he (Roger) immediately seized and placed a knife under her neck while holding another in his other hand.
Roger then shouted for Tata to come out of his room but Ruby was also calling out that her husband stay where he is with the children.
There were then calls for Roger to drop his knives and free Ruby but to no avail. Roger said he will only yield to Vice Mayor Vicente Emano.
Reelected City Councilor Reynaldo Advincula, who was among those who immediately responded to the crime scene, called up Emano's secretary to rouse the vice-mayor.
Emano recalled how he was only bringing his pistol with especially-designed bullets with him when he got to the scene where he saw Advincula, Cagayan de Oro City Police Director Aurelio Trampe, Agora Police Precinct station Commander Salvador Radam, and the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team.
He said wanted to be on the safe side and looked for an armalite.
The vice-mayor narrated how he shouted at Roger to free Ruby and come down from the house.
Because the residences were close together, Emano said the neighbors who saw Roger told him that the latter already freed Ruby and was sitting down.
Emano said he carefully readied his pistol, placed it behind his back and climbed the stairs to where Roger was and tried to appease him.
"I told him to surrender the weapons he had with him and he did so by placing them on my feet," said Emano.
However, Emano said Roger heard a "click" that sounded like coming from a gun cocked into place but it that was only coming from a police officer readying a handcuff.
Because of this, he said Roger suddenly was very angry, brought out a long steel sharpening tool, took a threatening stand and in a loud voice asked, "Kinsa to? Kinsa to? (Who was that? Who was that?).
Emano said he was very surprised then as he didn't realize that there was still another sharp long weapon with Roger.
He said fear almost overcame him at that point as Roger was only a half-meter away from him and the sharp steel was between them. "I shouted for all to leave us," he said.
Emano said he then tried to calmly talk to Roger to also surrender his sharp tool.
He recounted how he told Roger that a wrong cannot be made right by initiating another wrong. "Roger brought down his weapon and cried before me. I calmed him down and even gave his neck a massage," he said.
Later on, Emano said he turned over Roger to the authorities for the appropriate action. "But I gave him some money in case he grows hungry while under custody," he said.
Roger is now currently in the custody of the police and later on confessed over dxIF Bombo Radyo that though he drank some strong liquor, he was clear-headed.
He said he was just fed up as to how their father died and that it was their youngest brother who seemed to be the only one enjoying the fruits of their father's labor. "Armando is the only one among us siblings who is enjoying everything," he said.
Armando said in a separate interview that their father's truck and multicab vehicle were already sold.
He said Roger wanted to also have the stall at the Agora vegetable landing area, which they are using for their business. "But this was already pawned by my father and we just succeed it," he said.
His younger brother Regent admitted that Roger, their oldest brother, earlier met with him to discuss how Armando is practically enjoying the fruit of their father's labors when the latter was still alive.
Because of this, he begged Armando and Ruby to think a thousand times over before filing any criminal charge against Roger for the incident. "Hinumdumi ninyo kinsa na inyong ka-atubang (Remember who you are dealing with)," said Regent over dxIF Bombo Radyo.
Frustrated homicide charges meanwhile may be filed against Roger.
