SASCOR general manager Oscar Hernandez disputed the claims, saying that Paray was not dismissed from employment and was supposed to be reassigned to a different location as part of the company's policy of rotating security guards.

[4] The hostage crisis began when Paray, armed with a .45 caliber pistol, entered the employees' entrance of the Virra Mall at around 11:14 am.

San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora and National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Debold Sinas arrived at the hostage taking site.

[5] Despite the closure, several onlookers still managed to gather at the site to film the incident live and give updates about the situation online.

Paray then proceeded to air his grievances against his former employers on national television for 20 minutes before the police managed to arrest him at around 8:45 pm.

Senator Joel Villanueva[10] and labor group Defend Jobs Philippines[11] were among those which urged DOLE to launch an investigation.

Villanueva condemned the hostage taking and expressed the need to only issue security guard licenses to individuals with "tough mental disposition".

[9] A documentary about the incident, titled "Grenade-Wielding Former Security Guard Takes Over 50 Hostages In Manila Mall ", was featured in an episode of The Negotiators, produced by CNA.