MANILA: With the death of one more person, the death toll in Monday’s bus hostage crisis in Grandstand Manila has reached to 10.
According to the Philippine Star a dismissed policeman armed with an assault rifle hijacked a bus packed with tourists, and killed most of its passengers in a 10 hour-hostage drama shown live on national television until last night.Former police senior inspector Rolando Mendoza was also shot dead.
Mendoza hijacked the bus and took 21 Chinese tourists hostage, demanding his reinstatement to the police force.
The hostage drama dragged on even after the driver of the bus managed to escape and told police that all the remaining passengers had been killed.
Late into the night assault forces surrounded the bus and tried to gain entry, but a pair of dead hostages handcuffed to the door made it difficult for them. Police said they fired at the wheels of the bus to immobilize it.
Police used hammers to smash windows, door and windshield but were met with intermittent fire from the hostage taker.
Police also used tear gas in an effort to confirm if the remaining hostages were all dead or alive
Meanwhile President of Philippine Aquino sent his deepest condolences to the families of the victims whose lives were lost in the hostage situation at the Quirino Grandstand. He said that the Secretary of Foreign Affairs has conveyed deep feelings of sorrow to the Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China and the people of Hong Kong through Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang.
“I have tasked Secretaries Soliman and Lim to provide everything necessary for the recovery and return home of the survivors. I have directed the fullest cooperation with the Hong Kong authorities on the part of our officials” the president said in statement.
According to the Philippine Star a dismissed policeman armed with an assault rifle hijacked a bus packed with tourists, and killed most of its passengers in a 10 hour-hostage drama shown live on national television until last night.
Former police senior inspector Rolando Mendoza was also shot dead.
Mendoza hijacked the bus and took 21 Chinese tourists hostage, demanding his reinstatement to the police force.
The hostage drama dragged on even after the driver of the bus managed to escape and told police that all the remaining passengers had been killed.
Late into the night assault forces surrounded the bus and tried to gain entry, but a pair of dead hostages handcuffed to the door made it difficult for them. Police said they fired at the wheels of the bus to immobilize it.
Police used hammers to smash windows, door and windshield but were met with intermittent fire from the hostage taker.
Police also used tear gas in an effort to confirm if the remaining hostages were all dead or alive.
The Chinese government while strongly condemning the hostage-taking of Chinese tourists demanded the Philippine government to thoroughly investigate the incident.
In Hong Kong All government offices Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) lowered flags at half- mast Tuesday to mourn Hong Kong tourists killed in the hostage tragedy in the Philippines.AMN
