Manila - Frenchman Alain Robert - dubbed "Spiderman" for his
exploits - was arrested in the Philippines on Tuesday after
free-climbing one of country's tallest buildings.
The 56-year-old, known for scaling towering structures around the
world, was spotted dangling from the G T International Tower in the
financial district of Makati City during rush hour.
Robert was seen hoisting himself from one floor to another of the
217-metre glass-walled skyscraper. He was arrested for climbing
without a permit as soon as he descended.
Police said criminal charges were being prepared against Robert, who
holds the Guinness World Record for the most number of buildings
climbed by a person.
Robert told police he had been wanting to return to the Philippines
since first visiting the country as a tourist 20 years ago.
"Twenty years back actually there was nothing in Makati," he said.
"So I knew that one day I will be climbing in the Philippines."
Robert admitted that some people might think he's "crazy" because of
what he does, but he would rather think of himself as "badass."
"They may use the word crazy, but there is good craziness, and there
is a bad one," he said. "There is the one that you put in the
psychiatric hospital, which is the bad one."
"And there is ... what people are saying about me - badass. Badass is
a compliment," he said.
Robert has been arrested many times for his daring climbing stunts
around the world over the past two decades.