At least two policemen were wounded in a hostage-taking incident in Bacolod City, the Philippine National Police said Thursday.

The PNP said Roberto Arac, 39, on Tuesday used a butcher knife to seize the nine-year-old son of his neighbor after suffering a nervous breakdown.

In a post on its news site, the PNP said the hostage-taking took place in Barangay 7 in Bacolod City. It added Arac had earlier tried to burn down his own house.

Bacolod City police personnel including Senior Inspectors Jovil Sedel and Ruel Culanag tried to negotiate with Arac.

However, Arac allegedly attacked the negotiators, forcing Culanag to shoot and wound him. Arac then surrendered to police and released the boy unharmed.

Sedel and Culanag were brought to Riverside Hospital in Bacolod City while Arac was brought to Negros Occidental Provincial Hospital. — DVM, GMA News