A brief farewell ceremony was held at Ninoy Aquino International Airport shortly at around 05:00 p.m. local time Wednesday to pay tribute to eight Hong Kong tourists killed in hostage crisis on Monday.

Chinese and Philippine officials lined up to observe three- minute silence to the eight victims. Their bodies were stored in coffins covered in white sheets.

Attending the ceremony were Chinese Ambassador to Philippines Liu Jianchao, Chinese government working group leader Guo Shaochun, and Philippine Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alberto Romulo, among others.

A rifle-wielding dismissed Philippine police officer held hostage a tourist bus with more than 20 Hong Kong tourists on board in Manila on Monday, prompting the police to storm the bus. Eight Hong Kong tourists were killed and seven others were injured, including two seriously injured.