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Philippines Hostage Crisis Ends With Many Dead, Reactions

by on Tuesday, August 24, 2010 370 comments

Philippine policemen take position as they start their attack on a tourist bus hijacked in Manila on August 23, 2010. An ex-policeman armed with a high-powered assault rifle hijacked a bus carrying more than 20 Hong Kong tourists including children in the Philippine capital on August 23, police said. AFP PHOTO/TED ALJIBE

This just happened and was broadcast live on television in China. Some hostages were set free, and some survived, but a lot of the hostages are dead.

From NetEase:

Philippines ex-police hijacks 25-person bus, hostages mostly Hong Kong tourists

August 23rd, a Hong Kong tour bus carrying 25 people in Manila, Philippines was hijacked. After the hijacker set free 6 hostages in the morning, he again set free two more hostages int he afternoon, 3 children and 3 adults were subsequently released. That night, Philippines’ police stormed the bus and shot dead the hijacker, and allegedly rescued hostages are walking out of the bus.

Police commandos surround a bus with tourists being held hostage at Quirino Grandstand in Manila August 23, 2010. Police were poised to storm a bus where a sacked former Filipino policeman was holding 15 Hong Kong tourists hostage in downtown Manila after shots were heard at the scene, TV pictures and a Reuters witness said. REUTERS/Erik de Castro

Philippine policemen take position as they start their attack on a tourist bus hijacked in Manila on August 23, 2010. An ex-policeman armed with a high-powered assault rifle hijacked a bus carrying more than 20 Hong Kong tourists including children in the Philippine capital on August 23, police said. AFP PHOTO/TED ALJIBE

Philippine policemen take position as they start their attack on a tourist bus hijacked in Manila on August 23, 2010. An ex-policeman armed with a high-powered assault rifle hijacked a bus carrying more than 20 Hong Kong tourists including children in the Philippine capital on August 23, police said. AFP PHOTO/TED ALJIBE

Philippine policemen take position as they start their attack on a tourist bus hijacked in Manila on August 23, 2010. An ex-policeman armed with a high-powered assault rifle hijacked a bus carrying more than 20 Hong Kong tourists including children in the Philippine capital on August 23, police said. AFP PHOTO/TED ALJIBE

Police commandos take cover as the hostage taker fires at them while they assault a bus with tourists being held hostage at Quirino Grandstand in Manila August 23, 2010. Police were poised to storm a bus where a sacked former Filipino policeman was holding 15 Hong Kong tourists hostage in downtown Manila after shots were heard at the scene, TV pictures and a Reuters witness said. REUTERS/Erik de Castro

Philippine policemen take position as they start their attack on a tourist bus hijacked in Manila on August 23, 2010. An ex-policeman armed with a high-powered assault rifle hijacked a bus carrying more than 20 Hong Kong tourists including children in the Philippine capital on August 23, police said. AFP PHOTO/TED ALJIBE

A body hangs from the glass door of a tourist bus following an assault by police and SWAT members to rescue hostages at Manila's Rizal Park Monday Aug.23, 2010 in Manila, Philippines. Former Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza, a dismissed policeman armed with automatic rifle, seized the bus in Manila Monday with 25 people aboard, mostly foreign tourists in a bid to demand reinstatement, police said. Mendoza was killed along with an undetermined number of hostages. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

Philippine policemen take position as they start their attack on the tourist bus hijacked in Manila on August 23, 2010. An ex-policeman armed with a high-powered assault rifle hijacked a bus carrying more than 20 Hong Kong tourists including children in the Philippine capital on August 23, police said. AFP PHOTO/TED ALJIBE

A police commando tries to break down the door of a bus as a body lies inside during the assault on a bus with tourists being held hostage at Quirino Grandstand in Manila August 23, 2010. Philippine police commandos crouched around a bus where a sacked former policeman was holding 15 Hong Kong tourists hostage in Manila on Monday and shots were heard at the scene, TV pictures and a Reuters witness said. REUTERS/Erik de Castro

Philippine policemen take position as they start their attack on a tourist bus hijacked in Manila on August 23, 2010. An ex-policeman armed with a high-powered assault rifle hijacked a bus carrying more than 20 Hong Kong tourists including children in the Philippine capital on August 23, police said. AFP PHOTO/TED ALJIBE

Police commandos try to open the door of a bus during the assault on a bus with tourists being held hostage at Quirino Grandstand in Manila August 23, 2010. Philippine police commandos crouched around a bus where a sacked former policeman was holding 15 Hong Kong tourists hostage in Manila on Monday and shots were heard at the scene, TV pictures and a Reuters witness said. REUTERS/Erik de Castro

Philippine policemen take position as they start their attack on the tourist bus hijacked in Manila on August 23, 2010. An ex-policeman armed with a high-powered assault rifle hijacked a bus carrying more than 20 Hong Kong tourists including children in the Philippine capital on August 23, police said. AFP PHOTO/TED ALJIBE

Paramedics help victims from the hijacked bus in Manila on August 23, 2010. The gunman who seized a bus carrying Hong Kong tourists killed at least four of his hostages in the Philippines, doctors said. AFP PHOTO / JAY DIRECTO

A paramedic (top) lowers one of the wounded survivor from the hijacked bus in Manila on August 23, 2010. A dramatic hostage siege in the Philippine capital involving a busload of Hong Kong tourists ended after 12 hours with several captives walking free but the fate of 11 others unknown. AFP PHOTO / JAY DIRECTO

Paramedics (top) lower a victim from the hijacked bus in Manila on August 23, 2010. The gunman who seized a bus carrying Hong Kong tourists killed at least four of his hostages in the Philippines, doctors said. AFP PHOTO / JAY DIRECTO

A paramedic (not pictured) lowers one of the wounded survivor from the hijacked bus in Manila on August 23, 2010. A dramatic hostage siege in the Philippine capital involving a busload of Hong Kong tourists ended after 12 hours with several captives walking free but the fate of 11 others unknown. AFP PHOTO / JAY DIRECTO

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Comments from KDS:

seven:

The quality of Philippine police is so poor.

fyi:

In Shenzhen hotel watching the local Hong Kong channel. The Philippine police are simply too valiant [sarcasm], not even able to break the glass window after half an hour. I predict the hostages were all killed.

puma_4:

Philippine police work is too poor, give this to the chengguan and it’ll be taken care of in minutes.

春来:

If you couldn’t handle it, why didn’t you say earlier? We could’ve airlifted a truck of chengguan there to help. emoticon

puma_4:

Sigh, the whole world is watching the joke that is the Philippines police.

休利特:

Fuck, after 20 minutes, they only managed to make a few small holes [in the windows/glass]. Either this tour bus is too mighty/powerful or Philippine special police [SWAT] are too mentally handicapped.

The ridiculous thing is that in they ended up going in through the emergency door in the back of the bus…fuck, is this bunch of special police stupid or what? Wasting over 20 minutes, what were they doing earlier? emoticon

远古越:

These police, this level [of competence...is unbelievable]! emoticon

puma_4:

Hong Kong buses are so high quality, that our Filipino friends can’t break them down.

么米XSL:

Filipino country people, they’ve never been in a major situation. emoticon

休利特:

From 10 in the morning till now. This much time and they hadn’t even figure out the bus’s structure. The intelligence of Southeast Asian monkey’s truly cannot be complimented. I bet even the gunman was becoming impatient…

阿豪哥:

Good show good show, comparable to American blockbusters.

尾大光绒:

So tragic, I’m watching the live broadcast, Australia-Asia TV. They should’ve just blown up that guy’s head when he was at the window earlier. Looks like the Heavenly Kingdom’s [China's] police still have the right idea [referring to the aggressiveness of Chinese police, such as in this example]. emoticon

过猴山:

Philippine police are using real people for anti-terrorist exercises. emoticon

三宅一生:

Really don’t understand what those people who are still looking on at the commotion are thinking. Have they played too much CS [Counter-Strike], thinking those who died can respawn with full health? emoticon

DKman:

The Philippines’ two great dangers.
Soldiers and police.

国王的房间:

NEVER TRAVEL TO PHILLIPPEANEemoticon

哈喽哈喽:

If this tour bus were full of Americans, what would the situation be like?

舞搞百叶结:

It’s over, they’re all dead. emoticonemoticonemoticon
The Filipino monkeys are all idiots. emoticon

homechangshu:

All of China forbids traveling to the Philippines for 3 years.

坍台王子:

The difficulty of a bus rescue is very high~
I imagine it will becomes a new training topic for CT [counter-terrorism]~

天棚元帅:

Life is about to become difficult for Hong Kong Filipino domestic help/servants. emoticon

宽待山伯爵:

If only China’s CT’s went.

They would charge in, say “get down” in Chinese,

then spray wildly with the 79 [maybe a type of gun], emptying a clip in maybe a few seconds.

If the Hong Kong people can’t understand Chinese [putonghua], then too bad.

老别克:

I see them carrying them out one by one, there is a really uncomfortable feeling in my heart. emoticon

我的九月:

The people there have always been very hostile towards our people [Chinese]. The Indonesian monkeys are, Filipino monkeys too.
Think back to the 1998 Indonesian riots.
So, if you’re going to go vacation, go somewhere farther, and if you can avoid Southeast Asia, avoid it, it is not safe.

木林森林木:

This is the level of the Philippines and they still want to fight China in the South China Sea. Several trucks of chengguan will suffice.

爷爷:

At least they can live broadcast in the Philippines, so we know how they died.

都市步兵团:

One can well imagine that this video will become a classic bad example for the counter-terrorism units of various countries.

flugel:

The Philippines’ high IQ police [sarcasm], trying to break the bus door and dropping the hammer inside, trying to pull open the door and having the rope snap, only to later realize that they could open the back door…

typhoon:

The Philippines police are also just nonchalant/not taking their jobs seriously. If they storm in and things don’t go well, lives are lost, and some foreigners die, oh well.

strong:

The killed were Hong Kong compatriots, I feel really awful. emoticon

What do you think of how the Philippines hostage situation was handled?

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370 Comments

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  1. Juan dela Cross
    Monday, September 6, 2010 at 2:26 pm

    I’ve never heard so much bigotry and racial hatred directed to all Filipinos because of the action of one unfortunate mentally-ill person!

    Shame on you if you are a bigot and a racist! For some of you who call others as dogs and other inhumane words, You have a lot to learn about being a human being!

    Reply
  2. PEACEFULE WARRIOR
    Wednesday, September 8, 2010 at 12:26 pm

    TO THE HONGKONG and PRC PEOPLES,

    You hate the Filipino people for the hostage fiasco that unfortunate incident that went out of control at the end. This was a hostage situation that was under control and which netted 7 Chinese tourists to be released upon the efforts of our policemen.

    You appear and sound sanctimonious and have even stepped upon our sovereignty. You have demanded apology, the moon and the heavens. You hate the Filipino people as if we wanted this unfortunate incident to happen. First and foremost, we offer our condolences to the families of the 8 that were killed in this incident. Secondly, we are sorry for the bungled handling of this hostage taking. It was unfortunate, it was an accident, we never planned it that way. Is it fair to blame a whole nation for a situation that was never planned?

    Let me ask you this question, “Should we hate you also for the lead poisoning caused by the paint you used in your baby furniture and toys for the children of the world, Should we hate you also for the use of cardboard in the “siopao” that you sell to tourists? Should we hate you also for the melamine contamination wherein not 8, but hundreds, maybe even thousands have suffered and some even died?

    Or, let us talk of Filipino casualties. A few years ago, 3 Filipino tourists, all surnamed Madrigal, a family of 5 were walking on Tienemen Square and Beijing. One Chinese stabbed the father and two of his children, killing all three. Were you even sorry for what this one Chinese did? Did the Filipino people even demand that China apologized for this unfortunate incident. This was PRE-MEDITATED MURDER.

    Just as the use of lead, cardboard, melamine was pre-meditated – used because they were cheaper materials, in order to generate PROFITS for the Chinese businessman. Did you pay damages the same way you are demanding damages from the Filipino nation and people.

    Where was the anger of the Chinese and Hongkong people? Did you even apologize to the world? My God in the case of melanine, you even kept this information from the world, until you were exposed for what you are!!!

    Enough! We symphatize but don’t blame the Filipino people.

    So you want to send our OFWs home, that take care of your children? They play an important part in your lives. Both spouses are able to work, earn money because of the tender loving care being heaped on your children by Filipino maids and yayas/amahs. While you pay our OFWs for the work they do, you earn more for the love and care they bestow on your children. Go ahead, send our OFWs home. Let us see how that will affect your family incomes.

    Enough!

    Reply
  3. Jisty
    Tuesday, September 14, 2010 at 3:46 pm

    Dear World,

    We cannot changed the shameful event that was happened last August 23, 2010. This date is now a part of Philippine history, let us not argue about this thing. The best thing that we can do from now on is to face the fact that a Filipino did this brutal crime, we should be more stronger and expect that many people around the world will say negative against us. But on the other side their are people also who is understand and trying to understand the situation. Be patient, calm and pray for the victim of the crime. Let other people say what they wanted to say because that is their freedom. They are only practicing their human right and telling the feelings that they felt in their hurt. For all other races around the world we would like to say sorry for the negative event last August 23, 2010 we are also trying our best to show to the world that we are not like the hostage taker. Thank you so much guys…

    Reply
  4. gotcha
    Thursday, September 16, 2010 at 11:49 pm

    Yes, we Filipinos admit that we did commit a mistake with the hostage crisis that happened in August 23, the police (PNP) weren’t prepared for it. And yes, they did a terrible job for not saving the lives of everyone inside the bus. But we’re not monkeys, we’re not animals who can’t feel or understand what you’re trying to tell us. But everything that you say to us becomes in general consideration. Do you think we liked what happened during that crisis? we are just as devastated as your HongKong citizens were. But were you ever fair in judging us? You can only look at the mistakes done by the police but we still saved the other victims from the bus. And where is FAIR JUDGEMENT on what you all are saying? We aren’t stupid so stop saying all this garbage that you try to put in the Philippines. the thing here is that most of you are inconsiderate. So dont put all the blame to us. we tried, so stop saying rubbish things about us.

    Reply
  5. Proud to be Pinoy
    Thursday, September 16, 2010 at 11:59 pm

    Before all of you can spit right in our faces the mistakes that happened during the crisis i will have to say that YOU DON’T HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO THAT. The Filipinos knew that what were there right in their hands was a very delicate scene. We all knew that, we watched as all of you did. But we cannot be beaten down just because all of you are RACISTS! All of you were stuck on the idea that they were victims who got ‘killed’ inside the bus but if the police did not do what they were suppose to do they the situation could have been worse and all of them would have died but they didnt.

    Reply
  6. gutieeeee
    Wednesday, September 22, 2010 at 5:43 pm

    i think this happening is to wake up to those person in charged in like this situation…..

    Reply
  7. beatriz
    Thursday, September 23, 2010 at 11:56 pm

    oh mr braid if you are mr or ms… i dont care.. we does not often use these`oh you are racist to us`things`… if u dont know anything then shut up.. well i am talking about the recent happenings between tibet and china and not the century year old , super old (like your brain ) conflict… i tell some things: at least even if our country is poor, at least we dont abort million of fetuses and eat them just because of a f****g law… second we are not that negative thinker to often think we are being pestered a lot by foreigners.. and third we are not these copy cat country who copies everything for cheaper price ( think about million of china super cheap, easy to use but easy to get destroyed, non competitive products phones).. to top of it, if we talk about drug pushers haha.. statistic dear.. china has the most populous drug pushers in the world and not philippines… read our news how many chinese drug pushers we have.. and if i do remember when i was in europe huh? how many times ive seen on the DW news, these chinese people trying to illegally bring their stinking stuff in germany and some parts of europe.. but even though we never accused or never damned any of you guys.. its your thing not us… we even love chinese here in the country but with what your poor brain can process you are one of the poor ole junkie big mouthed who are destroying our good respect… now go to hell… theres even more chinese to love.. species like you must go to hell..

    Reply
  8. rochelleviviene eleda
    Monday, September 27, 2010 at 7:08 pm

    wag ninyong sisihin ang mga wlang kinalaman s trahedyang ito. ano to penikula;” kasalan ni pedro kasalanan ng lahat”

    Reply
  9. beatriz (aka pupu & star)
    Tuesday, September 28, 2010 at 5:41 pm

    thats funny….. ur right though…

    [Note: Please do not use different names to pretend to be more than one person.]

    Reply
  10. camille
    Wednesday, September 29, 2010 at 10:53 pm

    the tail of the dog isnt the dog. just because a filipino killed them it doesnt mean all filipinos are criminals, and just because the police force messed up big time it doesnt mean filipinos are “monkeys”, “stupid”, etc. at large. it’s not like anybody wanted this, dammit!

    Reply
  11. Ryuzaki Hideki
    Saturday, October 16, 2010 at 10:45 am

    inyo ilong mga bobo

    Reply
  12. John Wayne
    Tuesday, May 3, 2011 at 10:31 am

    This is the SWAT team? You gotta be finger fucking me. What a joke. Officer safety and civilian safety skills are lacking very much. They need to invite their American counterparts to come over and do real police training for each officer. 900 plus academy hours to be exact. Without letting the cat out of the bag this could have been done with in less than 30 seconds.

    Reply
  13. Cup of Tea
    Tuesday, August 24, 2010 at 10:50 am

    Eh no……Iranian embassy siege UK.
    A: Knock knock
    B: Who’s there?
    A: SAS
    B: Oh shit

    Reply
  14. Chunghwa
    Tuesday, August 24, 2010 at 4:45 pm

    I hear rising sea levels have driven most trolls further inland. Global warming is to blame.

    Reply
  15. FOARP
    Wednesday, August 25, 2010 at 12:33 am

    Yup, here’s Dennis Thatcher’s comment on the storming of the embassy:

    “You let one of the bastards live”

    Ridiculously over-hyped documentary here:

    Reply
  16. carrot
    Wednesday, August 25, 2010 at 1:29 pm

    hey idiotic person they did negotiate with the hi-jacker and guess what he almost surrender if it wasn’t for his brother who is a koo-koo. Isn’t it suppose to be that your family’s the one who stop you from doing bad things but belive me this one is different so please review the WHOLE vid. and understand what their talking about not just rely on sub titles

    Reply
  17. To Jones
    Wednesday, August 25, 2010 at 11:18 pm

    Well, it looks like I’m stuck with this name Jonesy Bonesy. LOL!

    Sorry, I had to say that, Alain did well coining the term =) Although, as a preemptory measure, I would like to first say that I do not like you gargle on men’s balls so don’t suggest it to me.

    I also find it quite funny that as soon as negative news of the Philippines is published, we have an influx of 30 Filipinos entering into this site. Did they all do a google search or were they pre-existing ‘silent’ visitors?

    If you look at Chinahush, I found it also quite strange that you have the police and some Filipino students taking photos next to the bus. Way to rub it in.

    Reply
  18. PUPU
    Saturday, September 11, 2010 at 6:12 pm

    oh yeah… we filipinos love to smile and we are happy with what we are.. our authorities maybe wrong during the crisis and the tactics arent perfect but at least they have done their best to save people.. they dont kill them anyway in front of chinese people`s eye… and those who speak against our race..all i can say is this.. YOU CHINESE PEOPLE MUST NOT FORGET WITH WHAT YOU DID TO TIBET… at least we protect, our authorities try to protect and not haunt helpless people..especially those who are good… the whole world will never forget your cruelty, what happened to our country is a mere incident, we dont mean it, nobody wants it… do you chinese people never meant what you have done to tibetians?.. so never judge us.. you all are not on the right position to do so… what a shame…

    Reply
  19. Braid
    Saturday, September 18, 2010 at 6:39 pm

    LOl you do know Tibet was invaded by Britain and reclaimed by China. It’s the Same as the Moros in the South of Philppines. They were never Part of the Philippines because they were never conquered by Spain. But the Philippines must attack and have them.

    Also Im tired of Filipinos saying “OOh you guys are racist to us but all of you are Drug pushers in my country” Filipinos are so Dumb and racist they dont even know it.

    Reply
  20. beatriz
    Friday, September 24, 2010 at 12:04 am

    oh century old brain.. fuck you.. rrread nespapers and not old books…. IDIOT…

    Reply
  21. pupu (aka beatriz & star)
    Tuesday, September 28, 2010 at 5:53 pm

    i dont think braid that you can sleep at night thinking what to think.. haha… super…youre such an idiot you even have the courage to write that fucking thing?.. tibet reclaimed by china well whatever happens from the past its all in the past.. its centuies old dear.. read the recent news poor old son of a bitch big mouth… they are being slaughtered and dalai lama haunted… bastard….
    guess youve eaten a lot of fetuses that you started to get insane… min you….. populous chinese people destroying the world by bing the most populous drug pushers in the world and copy cat too…. i never really think that the current chinese generation are that dumb… i respect more the old one…

    [Note: Please do not use different names to pretend to be more than one person.]

    Reply
  22. beatriz
    Tuesday, October 19, 2010 at 10:48 pm

    i dont think they could translate well.. tagalog to english.. english chineses hahaha…. they might even use l instead of r…. lol

    Reply
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