A man who took a busload of children and teachers hostage from
his day-care center in Manila Wednesday freed them all unharmed
following a 9-hour standoff during which he decried corruption and
demanded better treatment for poor children.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo described the event as "an
embarrassment" for her country and had asked for a peaceful
resolution from police.
Hostage-taker Armando "Jun" Ducat Jr. entered a police truck
with pro-administration senatorial candidate Luis "Chavit" Singson
and Senator Ramon Bong Revilla who led the negotiations and
guaranteed he would not be harmed upon surrendering. Ducat was
taken to the Manila Police District for a medical check-up before
facing charges.
Ducat surrendered at 07:05 PM and released his young captives,
who were hugged by relatives as they exited the bus. They were then
escorted to hospital for a medical check-up with social welfare
officials later announcing all the children and teachers were in
good health.
A teary-eyed Ducat, still armed with a rifle and a grenade, was
captured by TV cameras kissing the children as they got off the
bus.
Journalists, both Filipino and international, watched the drama
unwind at a square near the City Hall as night fell.
At Ducat's request, candles were lit around the square, to
symbolize the hopeful steps he was asking the country to take.
A police spokesman for Chief Superintendent Cipriano Querol
revealed earlier that Ducat would be charged with multiple of
crimes including kidnapping, but promised he would not be
physically harmed.
Querol revealed that Ducat had been driving the bus when it set
off from Tondo, a poor and crime-ridden district of Manila, in the
morning, allegedly heading for Tagaytay, a volcano lake resort town
50 kilometers south of Manila.
One of the children on the bus was released after contracting a
fever.
The spokesman further revealed that authorities had accepted to
Ducat's demand that? free education be given to the 145 kids
in his day-care center catering to poor children.
Ducat also criticized the politicians for corruption and
neglecting the poor and called upon Filipinos to boycott the
upcoming May elections. His two emotional speeches were given from
the bus through cell phones.
20 years ago, Ducat had already been involved in another
hostage-taking case but had not faced charges. He made a failed bid
for Congress in 2001 and was reportedly running for a neighborhood
councilor's seat in the May elections.
His relatives and friends have denied he suffered from any
mental or psychological problems.
(Xinhua News Agency March 29, 2007)
