Man takes 2 sons hostage after hacking wife's 'gossipy' aunt

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - A distraught man on Tuesday morning hacked and wounded a woman before taking his two sons hostage in a nine-hour drama in Zamboanga City.

Police identified the suspect as Nur Alvarez Sakiran, who held his sons Faisal and Fajad hostage about 6 a.m. at Mangal Drive, Barangay Baliwasan.

The drama ended with the Special Warfare Action Team disarming the suspect with tear gas as negotiation efforts failed.

Police investigators said prior to the hostage drama, Sakiran hacked and almost severed the left wrist of his wife's aunt, a certain Sarah Sahi, for allegedly spreading rumors putting him in bad light to his wife working as domestic helper in Middle East.

The village official initially negotiated for Sakiran to peacefully surrender, assuring him of his safety and his two sons'.

Superintendent Alan Nazaro, Police Station 11 director, also tapped the services of the Anti-Kidanpping Group and the Public Safety Battalion to negotiate, with directives from Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar to ensure ending the crisis peacefully. Sakiran refused to talk, however, and turned down any negotiation for nine hours.