Businessman takes boy, 5, hostage in Quezon City

MANILA, Philippines — A businessman was arrested after he took a five-year-old boy hostage in Quezon City yesterday morning.

Emmanuel Villoza, 47, was nabbed after more than an hour of negotiation with police.

Villoza took the boy hostage at a bakeshop along Anonas street in Barangay Quirino 3-A at around 9:30 a.m.

Superintendent Rodrigo Soriano, Anonas police station commander, said Villoza took the boy hostage, with a barbecue stick held to his neck.

The boy was with his mother outside the store when he was captured by the suspect and dragged into the bakeshop’s stockroom.

During the hostage-taking, Villoza asked authorities to get the media and Philippine National Police chief Director General Oscar Albayalde to help him in his failed business venture in Albay.

The service crew of the bakeshop managed to seek help from patrolling policemen, who responded to the incident.

The suspect was subdued when the negotiators saw that the boy’s neck was bleeding.

Villoza and the victim were taken to the hospital following the rescue operation, which ended at around 11 a.m.

Police said Villoza suffered minor face injuries.

The suspect is being held by police on charges of serious illegal detention in relation to the Anti-Child Abuse Law.