NABURYONG? Refused permission to go home after disaster training, soldiers take nuns, kids hostage

From InterAksyon (Jul 17): NABURYONG? Refused permission to go home after disaster training, soldiers take nuns, kids hostage

What were they thinking? After undergoing disaster management training hosted by the Legazpi City government, three Army men who were refused permission by their chief to go home took it out on nuns in an orphanage, taking them and their wards hostage.

The group, led by an Army private, barged into the Good Shepherd Home in Barangay San Roque and took hostage Wednesday the nuns and children for several hours. They were upset that their field commander refused to let them go home after a disaster training earlier, as typhoon Glenda was then about to hit Albay.

In a phone interview, staff at the Public Affairs Office (PAO) of the Army's 9th Infantry Division confirmed the incident and identified only the leader of the hostage-takers as Private First Class Licayan, a member of the 2nd Infantry Battalion.

Licayan and his companions are detained at the Legazpi City police while charges are being readied against them.

An initial military report said Licayan's group forcibly entered the Good Shepherd Home in Barangay San Roque shortly after 2 p.m. Wednesday for still unknown reasons.

The police came to the area, and during negotiations, heard three demands: that Licayan be allowed to ask for forgiveness from his parents and speak through a television reporter; they be given water and food; and only a TV reporter and cameraman, not cops, are to meet him and his group.

Legazpi Mayor Noel Rosal said Licayan's group had earlier attended a training for disaster risk reduction and management hosted by the city government but were asked to stay put by their commander in the city as the typhoon was about to bear down in a few hours.

Rosal said the soldiers did not hurt the nuns and children during the hostage-taking that ended peacefully at around 5:20 p.m.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/91355/naburyong-refused-permission-to-go-home-after-disaster-training-soldiers-take-nuns-kids-hostage