Manila Hostage-Taking

As usual, I was not aware when this was happening because I was sleeping. When I arrived at work, some of my officemates are talking about it and I heard it on the radio on my way home (the only time during the day that I listen to the radio).

Here's the story, or pretty much as I understood it.

56-year-old Jun Ducat is a Day Care Center owner who prepared or had a Field Trip for 32 5-to-6-year-old children
and two teachers, who go to his Day Care Center. When they all boarded the bus, that morning of March 28, Ducat instructed the driver to go to Manila City Hall.

They stopped the bus at Liwasang Bonifacio I think, and taped a sheet of paper to the bus's windshield that said they were holding 32 children and two teachers hostage, and were carrying two grenades, an Uzi assault rifle and a .45-calibre firearm. People started to notice, until the police took notice of it too, and boom.. the negotiation started, the candidates for the coming elections sort of joined in, and a whole lot of media. And once again, the Philippines was on world news. Tsk, tsk, tsk!

The hostage-taking lasted for about 10-hours. Ducat was already known for doing such stunts. He said he took the children hostage to bring attention to the need for better education, health care and housing for poor children and an end to corruption. He also wanted people to hold a vigil outside the bus, which they did. Hah!

He sort of promised that no one would be hurt.. and no one did. It still is scary! I fear for the lives of the children on the bus. What if things didn't turn out as planned and by accident, something bad would happen.. then, that would be a tragedy.

The children seem to not mind since Ducat was sort of kind to them and bought them ice cream for lunch.

The parents of the children would not press any charges because they think that Ducat's intentions were good. Okay, that could be right.. but he's doing it the wrong way. Holding very young children on hostage would not make the world a better place. Haaay...

Oh! Well.. I guess we should just be happy that nothing bad happened and hope and pray that nothing like this would follow just because they think it's alright because the parents think Ducat should be set free. Haay..

Here's a bit I got from trusty YouTube.