Two British travellers survived yesterday’s Manila tourist bus siege which ended with eight Hong Kong tourists being killed.
Eight hostages and the ex-policeman gunman were killed at the end of the day-long siege in the Philippine capital despite earlier signs that the hijacking would be resolved peacefully.
Hong Kong is now advising residents against travel to the Philippines.
Authorities saw the release of nine hostages during the day by 55-year-old Rolando Mendoza, a disgruntled former policeman angry at being sacked from the force.
Police launched an initial assault on the bus in heavy rain before moving in a second time and killing the gunman an hour later.
Philippine President Benigno Aquino III admitted there were deficiencies in the operation but said the gunman’s access to TV and radio made it hard for police to launch a rescue mission on a bus that was parked some distance from cover.
“Another aspect that I think not too many people are aware was that at some point in time, when the action did occur, the hostage-taker had surrounded himself with his hostages,” he said.
“He used them as body shields which made our forces hesitate to employ deadly force.”