Philippines Hostage-Takers Release Children, Teachers

Mar 28, 08:49 AM

Current Headlines: Text of report in English by Philippine newspaper Philippine Daily Inquirer website on 28 March

["Breaking News" by report by INQUIRER.net: "31 children freed as hostage crisis ends"]

MANILA, Philippines - At least 31 school children and four teachers who were held hostage inside a bus in Manila for almost 12 hours Wednesday were freed by their armed captors who have surrendered to police.

Armando Ducat Jr., the alleged leader, had agreed to release his captives at 7 p.m. following day-long negotiations with police. His two accomplices have yet to be identified.

Ducat, the owner of the daycare centre in Manila where the children have been enrolled for the year, have held the students and their teachers hostage since 9:30 a.m. inside the bus that was supposed to take them on a field trip to Tagaytay City. They were armed with a grenade, an UZI, and a .45 caliber pistol.

There were initially 32 school children but one, a boy identified as Simon Pacheco, was freed sometime in the afternoon because of fever. He was brought immediately to the Ospital ng Maynila where he remained confined.

Ducat had demanded support for the education of at least 145 school children of the Musmos Daycare and improved housing for them and their families.

Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr., who claims to have close ties with Ducat, negotiated with him for about 40 minutes and promised that he would pay for the education of the children.

Before the deadline, TEAM Unity's senatorial candidate Luis "Chavit" Singson also went to the scene of the hostage-taking incident and was shown on television boarding the bus.

It was not clear however what Singson's connection was with Ducat.

Aside from Revilla and Ducat, Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando, Manila Representative Rodolfo Bacani, and Monsignor Mel David were also present.

Fernando had been ordered by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to oversee the hostage crisis.

In a statement earlier on Wednesday, MalacaA\ang said: "We are deeply concerned about the situation, especially for the lives of the 32 children aboard the bus. But we would like to leave the matter in the hands of the police negotiators and the crisis team. With the efforts being taken by the authorities, we hope that the situation will be resolved in a safe and peaceful manner."

Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral said they were registering the names of the children and their parents for consultation of with psychologists after the crisis is over.

Revilla has asked authorities to give Ducat more time to express himself and give his message to the people.

Authorities have provided Ducat with a wireless portable radio so that he could air his grievances.

In his message in Filipino, Ducat appealed to the public not to be angry with him.

He said what he wanted for the children was education "because if they were educated they would have discipline and would not become drug addicts."

"I am appealing to you to give me a chance to speak. You are witnesses to the political dynasties, the rampant stealing in government. Because of this, our dream of progress for the country will not be realized," Ducat said.

"Aren't we ashamed of ourselves? We are a country who believes in God and yet we are ungodly in our actions," he said.

"President Arroyo is fighting corruption, we should unite with her," he added.

Ducat had said that he was willing to accept punishment for what he did. At the same time, he warned the public not to put their trust in politicians whom he accused of using the poor for their own ends.

Ducat himself is running for councillor in the third district of Tondo.

In a live radio interview earlier in the day, Ducat said he wanted an assurance from police that they would not attack the bus and warned that he would not be responsible for the consequences.

"I love these kids; that's why I am here," Ducat said. "We have a field trip. I invited the children for a field trip."

"In case I need to shed blood, I will not be the first to fire. I am telling the policemen, have pity on these children," he said.

Police Senior Superintendent Danilo Abarzosa disputed initial reports that indicated that the men stormed the bus while fleeing police after a holdup.

A police officer, standing about 15 yards away, held up a cardboard sign offering a telephone land line as another officer held up the handset. A third officer used a bullhorn.

But Senator Alfredo Lim was confident that Ducat whom he knew as a contractor would not harm the children, saying that he had done the same thing to two priests from the San Roque Church in Manila about 20 years ago when he also held them hostage over what he claimed then were unpaid dues for his work in the rehabilitation of the church.

Then mayor Lim and Monsignor David had negotiated with Ducat who was also armed with two grenades at that time and convinced the contractor to release the two priests peacefully.

He added that although Ducat was charged, he was freed when authorities discovered that the grenades were fakes.

The bus drama was the second hostage crisis in the Philippines capital in just over two weeks.

On March 14 police stormed a courthouse in the eastern Manila district of Taguig and killed an ex-marine, ending a 24-hour courtroom hostage drama that was caught live on national television.

The man and his girlfriend had taken four hostages at a court hearing over an eviction notice filed against him by one of the hostages.

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