NEWS: Tourist Bus held hostage at Luneta (Aug 23 2010)

[Monseratto]

On going event. An ex-policeman carrying an armalite rifle has taken hostage a tourist bus which include school children from Hong Kong parked at Quirino Grandstand. The ex policeman was the head of the Manila mobile group that made "hulidap" a La Sallite student/chef that was forced to swallow shabu and withdraw money from his ATM. He was dismissed from service last January. As usual, magulo na naman mga taga media. Hope it ends peacefully. Another blackeye to our tourist industry.

[niky]

It's on ANC right now.

Dayumn. Instant fame and the chance to get shot by a sniper?

[Monseratto]

Hehehe, nasa international news ang 'pinas ulit! For the wrong reason...

AP News Source

Ex-policeman in Philippines holds tourists hostage

MANILA, Philippines – A dismissed policeman armed with an automatic rifle seized a bus in the Philippine capital Monday with 25 passengers aboard, most of them Hong Kong tourists, in a bid to demand his reinstatement, police said.

Police sharpshooters took positions around the white-blue-red bus, which was parked near a downtown Manila park, and negotiations to free the hostages were under way, deputy director of Manila police Alex Gutierrez said.

Two of the Hong Kong tourists, both women, were released and were being debriefed by police, Manila police chief Rodolfo Magtibay said. Police had earlier reported that the tourists were from South Korea but later corrected themselves.

Others on the bus included three Filipinos — a driver, a guide and a photographer, Magtibay said.

The hostage-taker, identified as former Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza, was armed with an M16 rifle. He demanded that he be given back his job on the police force a year after he was fired, Magtibay said.

Mendoza hitched a ride on the bus from the historic walled city of Intramuros and then "declared he is taking the passengers hostage" when the bus reached Jose Rizal Park alongside Manila Bay.

The area also includes the seaside U.S. Embassy and a number of hotels.

The curtains on the bus windows were drawn and live TV footage showed two police negotiators walking to and from the bus and communicating with Mendoza from the window near the driver's seat.

Magtibay said they were also using the driver's cell phone to talk to Mendoza.

"We should really resolve this quickly so that it will not have a wider effect," Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim said.

[oliver1013]

Mr Sniper, you may squeeze the trigger if you have a clear shot!! Ya Really!

[donbuggy]

^ We can't have that. We must respect the human rights of the alleged hostage taker.

[chua_riwap]

It was learned that Mendoza is a former recipient of the 1986 Ten Outstanding Policemen of the Philippines (TOPP) of the Jaycees International.

Sayang........

[Monseratto]

Nasa headline ng mga major international new org...



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11055015

'Sacked policeman' seizes Manila bus in hostage drama

former policeman armed with a high-powered assault rifle has seized a bus in the Philippine capital, Manila, police say.

The gunman, reportedly sacked over robbery and drugs claims, is demanding his job back, local media says.

Children were reported to be among at least 20 passengers, mainly South Koreans, on the tourist bus.

Officials named the suspect as a senior inspector sacked amid allegations of robbery and extortion.

Negotiations with the gunman are reportedly taking place.

The bus is believed to be carrying up to 26 foreign tourists, including some children, and was stationary at Luneta Park when the gunman appeared.

"We are still trying to determine the circumstances of the hijacking and what happened," metropolitan Manila police commander, Director Leocadio Santiago said over DZBB radio in Manila.

"There are children and adults on the bus," he said.

Mr Santiago said the gunman has been identified as Rolando Mendoza, a former senior police inspector who was sacked in 2008 over allegations of robbery, extortion and drug-related crimes.

[vito corleone]

i'm sure there's a justifiable reason that forced this man to do this act, like "kailangan ko lang ng pera para mapakain ang pamilya ko kaya ko nagawa ito, matagal na kasi akong walang trabaho"




as if the bombings in the south are not enough to scare away potential tourists, enters this stupid guy

[Isuzoom]

PALPAK!!!! mga putong inamoy nyo!!!

[adapilado]

pinatay na yata lahat ng hostage taker ang lahat ng hostage..isa nanaman dagok sa pilipinas

hindi pa rin napapasuko ang hostage taker