Busload of students held hostage in Philippines

MSNBC/AP ^

[nuconvert]

Students held hostage in Philippines Gunmen who say they have grenades seize group near Manila’s city hall BREAKING NEWS The Associated Press Updated: 7:34 p.m. MT March 27, 2007 MANILA, Philippines - Unidentified gunmen seized a busload of students and teachers near Manila's city hall while on the run after a holdup Wednesday, police said.

Hostage-takers scribbled on a piece of paper, visible through the bus window, that they were holding 32 children and two teachers and were armed with two grenades, an Uzi assault rifle police and a .45-caliber pistol, officer Mark Andal said.

They said they were demanding housing and education for 145 children in a day-care center.

Police surrounded the bus. TV footage showed the young children, one in sunglasses, waving from the windows, and a woman could be seen making a hand signal asking for a phone as one of the gunmen held a grenade at her side.

"They are hold-uppers being chased by our policemen," Manila police chief Reynaldo Varilla told DZMM radio, adding that two men were believed to be involved. "They saw a bus loaded with pupils.

"Right now negotiations are ongoing. We hope we can have them surrender peacefully so no one will be hurt."

There was no immediate word on the ages of the students or details on the reported hold-up.

[ArmstedFragg]

Day Care Teachers Gone Wild?

[Cindy]

OFF TOPIC:

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/mar/28/yehey/top_stories/20070328top1.html


Wednesday, March 28, 2007


"GMA open to US, EU help in killings"


ARTICLE SNIPPET: "President Arroyo on Tuesday welcomed offers by the European Union and the US to help solve a spate of political murders in the country and “break the cycle of violence.”

The President also welcomed a US offer to deploy forensics and other experts to help authorities solve the more than 800 murders of activists, journalists, church workers and members of the judiciary in the past six years."

[Cindy]

OPINION-SPECULATION: No, probably more than that.

[Cindy]

UPDATE:

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/topofthehour.aspx?StoryId=71665

Metro (as of 11:04 AM)

"(3rd UPDATE) Day care owner takes 30 pupils, 4 teachers hostage"

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The hostage-taker of 30 schoolchildren on board a bus in Lawton, Manila turned out to be the owner of a day care center who wants to make sure the pupils will finish college.

"I love these children," hostage-taker and Musmos Day Care center owner Jun Ducat told DZMM, adding that he would not hurt the children.

He also clarified that he was the only hostage-taker. He said there are also four day care teachers inside the bus. The hostage crisis started around 9 a.m., reports said.

Ducat said the children's parents were told that their children were going to have a field trip in Tagaytay City.

Ducat was seen on video inside the bus holding one of the teachers and a grenade on one hand. Terrified children were seen peeking from the windows of the bus.

Initial reports had said three armed men were holding the children hostage.

Deogracias Bugarin, driver of the bus owned by Philippine Trans Corp. with body number 194, said they came from Baseco Compound in Parola, Tondo district in Manila."

[Therapsid]

But ......"Its for the children".

[Cindy]

Heard that before...

[Cindy]

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/03/27/ap3557737.html




Associated Press
"Students Taken Hostage in Philippines"
By PAUL ALEXANDER 03.27.07, 11:06 PM ET


ARTICLE SNIPPET: ""I love these kids; that's why I am here," one of the hostage-takers, identifying himself as Jun Ducat, told DZMM radio by cell phone. "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.""

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Ducat was involved in a previous hostage-taking with a priest, officials said."

[AmericanInTokyo]

If you have any amount of money, in your pockets, at any one time, and it looks like you have money, eventually YOU ARE GOING TO GET KIDNAPPED IN THE PHILIPPINES.

I swear, the BASKET CASE OF ASIA.

[AmericanInTokyo]

If something WEIRD goes down, you can be guaranteed it will go down in the Philippines. I wonder what it is in the water they drink down there.

[Cindy]

Yes, the Philippines is not on my vacation planner, but I do have a heart for the Filipino people. I'm thankful for the missionaries that live/work in that country.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

And just think, the Philippines at one time was a US possession, they might have been better off if the Philippines would have became a part of the USA after WWII.
The Philippines could have been a vital strategic location for the USA.

[spunkets]

"Would this be a good place for a bump for home schooling?"

No, but it would be a good place for someone to ride shotgun.

[AmericanInTokyo]

These kinds of kidnappings happen all the time in the PI.

Well, sad to say, but I don't know if they, the people of the Philippines, will ever get their economic and social act together--Greater Asia just seems to pass them by in leaps and bounds.

(Crime, filthiness, corruption, kidnappings, illiteracy, prostitution, gambling, child labor, theft, "banana shows", violence, coups).

It is said it is also a highly "Christian" nation--something like 90% at least. What is wrong with this picture? (I take it that Christianity is supposed to revolutionize people, take off their corrupt nature, and put people on the straight and narrow--I am at a loss for an explanation).

[AmericanInTokyo]

PS, One hopes those kids get out OK

[eleni121]

I wonder if this has anything to do with the 2 muslims terrorists that were killed a few days ago.


http://news.monstersandcritics.com/asiapacific/news/article_1282758.php/Rogue_Muslim_rebel_commander_companion_killed_in_Philippines

[Prophet in the wilderness]

You have to also remember that the Philippines is also run by tribal clans.
I agree, why hasn't Christianity changed the culture there ?
I still believe if they wanted to become part of the USA after WWII they would have even put Japan and Europe in stiff competition economically.

[Deo volente]

I know a family that recently traveled to the Philippines to visit relatives.

The parents told their 8 yr. old son to stay close to them at all times, or he could end up being kidnapped. I thought they were a little too overprotective, but now I see their point.

[Cindy]

UPDATE:


http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/topofthehour.aspx?StoryId=71668

Metro (as of 11:57 AM)

"(4th UPDATE) Bong Revilla joins hostage-taker in bus"

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "‘I know him he is Jun Ducat. He has same MO [to] try attract attention, later on release hostages, … I’m convinced [his] purpose [is to] give publicity to him. The reason he brought the bus there adjacent to city hall [is to] attract more publicity," said Lim.

Lim said Ducat held two priests hostage because of misunderstanding on payments on repairs on a church in Sta. Cruz, Manila in 1987. Lim added the incident was resolved after he convinced Ducat to release his hostages.

The senator believes Ducat is rational."

[Cindy]

Apparently, by this latest article, Ducat is the only hostage taker.

[perfect stranger]

It is said it is also a highly "Christian" nation--something like 90% at least

According to CIA World Fact Book and the 2000 census-

Roman Catholic 80.9%,
Muslim 5%,
Evangelical 2.8%,
Iglesia ni Kristo 2.3%,
Aglipayan 2%, other Christian 4.5%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.6%, none 0.1% (2000 census)

And with this part of the last paragraph-

The Philippine Government faces threats from three terrorist groups on the US Government's Foreign Terrorist Organization list, but in 2006 and 2007 scored some major successes in capturing or killing key wanted terrorists. Decades of Muslim insurgency in the southern Philippines have led to a peace accord with one group and an ongoing cease-fire and peace talks with another.

The Muslims are the ones killing and kidnapping. These Muslims are the ones that need to be dealt with and without remorse they should be eradicated as quickly as possible.