Philippine hostage crisis comes to a bloody end

After hours of deliberation, the Manila police finally entered a bus, whose passengers had been taken hostage by a gunman. The gunman had already released nine people but had kept 15 with him. There were reportedly 20 tourists and their travel guide from Hong Kong and four Filipinos in the bus when it was hijacked.

The gunman allowed six passengers, including three children, to leave the bus as "gifts" to negotiators, officials said.

The driver was later able to escape when the gunman opened fire on those remaining in the bus. This is when the police decided to try and enter the bus via a back door.

Officials said that the hostage taker, identified as the 55-year-old Rolando Del Rosario Mendoza, was a former senior policeman who was armed with an M16 rifle and was apparently trying to get his job back after being sacked.

Hong Kong issued a travel warning on Monday. "A serious kidnap incident happened in the Philippines. Hong Kong residents should avoid all travel to the country," a government spokesman said in a statement.

act / AFP / AP
Editor: Disha Uppal