Report: Village watchman wounded in Iloilo ‘hostage drama’

A village watchman was shot and wounded in a hostage drama early Wednesday, involving a man who supposedly suffered a nervous breakdown in Iloilo City. Radio dzBB's Iloilo affiliate reported the incident occurred at Barangay Boulevard in the city's Molo district, where one Wilson Suri held his relatives hostage. An initial investigation showed Suri had an argument with his wife at the house of his in-law Gertrudes Gallardo. At the time, Suri was allegedly drunk and worried over the heart condition of his fourth child. His wife, aunt and two others were in the house when the heated argument happened. When responding village watchmen arrived, Suri allegedly fired at them, hitting and wounding their commander Jun Togonon. While the suspect was reportedly firing at the watchmen, his “hostages" managed get out of the house. The report did not say whether Suri’s relatives were allowed to go, or escaped. Suri surrendered after minutes of negotiations with police, and was taken to a nearby facility for psychiatric treatment. Togonon's family plans to file charges against Suri for frustrated homicide, the dzBB report said. On the other hand, a separate report on Visayas-based Bombo Radyo said the incident started at 1 a.m. Wednesday, when Suri armed with cal-.38 revolver, held his relatives hostage. The Bombo Radyo report said Togonon was shot while trying to enter the house. — LBG, GMANews.TV