The Philippine Online Chronicles

Today’s 11-hour hostage drama ended tragically. Hostage taker, ex-police inspector Capt. Rolando Mendoza was riddled with bullets by members of the Special Weapons Action Team (SWAT).

ABS-CBN reported that seven of the hostages were confirmed killed, among them were Ken Leung and Yun Ying, while eight others were wounded. The rest of the Chinese tourists hostaged by Mendoza are all alive and are now receiving medical treatment and debriefing assistance at the Ospital ng Maynila. But as of writing, the Philippine National Police (PNP) cannot account the total number of casualties among the hostages.

The hostage taker, Mendoza, was a decorated police officer. He served the PNP for 26 years and was an awardee of the Ten Outstanding Young Policeman in 1996.

In 2008, he was relieved from his position after being involved in robbery-extortion and drug-related cases. Mendoza said he was wrongfully tried by the Office of the Ombudsman. He demanded reinstatement to the police force.

At around 7:30 this evening, authorities started their assault and tried to open the glass doors and windows of the bus. A forty-minute exchange of fire followed. The hostage taking drama ended before 9:00 p.m., and Mendoza was killed.

Based on news updates from various media outfits and live Twitter messages by Philippine reporters, here’s a brief round-up of what happened in the day-long hostage situation:

Between 9:30 to 10 am - Hong Thai tourist bus with twenty 22 Chinese nationals and 3 Filipinos including the driver, a local tour guide and an official photographer was about to leave Fort Santiago when former Police Insp. Capt. Rolando Mendoza hitched a ride. He was clad in full police uniform and armed with an M-16 rifle.

10:00 am – upon reaching the Quirino Grandstand, Mendoza hijacked the bus and announced hostage taking

11:00 am – hostage taking in stand-off. PNP spokesman Police Chief Insp. Erwin Margarejo identified the hostage taker as former Police Senior Insp. Rolando Mendoza.

11:30 am – Hong Thai Travel and Tours manager Susana Lau confirms to the media in Hongkong that the hostages are their clients – 17 adults and five children

12:00 nn – PNP and City of Manila composed a crisis management team to handle the hostage taking situation.

12:20 pm - Malacanang said it will not meddle with the ongoing hostage situation at the Quirino Grandstand

1:00 pm – Officials from the Chinese Embassy proceeds to the Quirino Grandstand to monitor the incident and coordinate with the MPD. They expressed confidence that the PNP will resolve the crisis peacefully

1:20 pm – Representatives from the Office of the Ombudsman went to the hostage area to help negotiate Mendoza’s demands

2:00 pm - Hostage taker posts messages: "Big deal will start after 3pm today" and " Big mistake to correct a big wrong decision."

2:15 pm – SWAT teams position around the bus

2:20 pm – negotiators refueled the bus’ diesel tank

2:30 pm – 8th person released - Filipino photographer Rigor Cruz. Media announced names of released hostages

2:40 pm PNP expressed optimism that hostage taker will surrender at 3pm

3:00 pm – Still no resolution on the hostage crisis in Manila. Police gives 30-minute extension of 3pm deadline

4:00 pm – Hostage taker posts “Media Now” message on the bus’ glass door. Media personality Erwin Tulfo agreed to talk to the hostage taker but said clearance still needed from the police’ crisis management team

5:00 pm – Rolando’s brother, SPO2 Gregorio Mendoza tried to go near the bus. He talks to his brother through mobile phone

6:00 pm - Negotiator big brings box possibly containing food n drinks inside bus

6:30 pm - Malacanang directs PNP to resolve crisis and safeguard the safety of hostages

6:35 pm - 9th hostage released - 64 year-old photographer Danilo Nebril

6:45 pm – The hostage taker’s brother, police officer Gregorio walked out of the negotiations

7:00 pm - Hostage taker Mendoza fires 2 warning shots

7:10 pm - the police forcibly took Gregorio. He said the police will detain him for questioning and will charge him as an accomplice to the hostage taking

7:20 pm - Gregorio resisted arrest and his relatives also tried to stop the police from arresting him. The police bodily took Leonardo.

7:30 pm - Vice Mayor Isko Moreno carries envelope containing letter from the Ombudsman, the copy of the final order on Mendoza’s case

7:39 pm – media shows footage with driver of bus handcuffed to steering wheel

7:40 pm – hostage taker started firing shots, apparently got mad after his brother was taken into police custody

7:55 pm - Driver escapes bus; tells police and reporters - "Patay na lahat"

8:00 pm - Sniper fires shots at the bus. Police trying to force entry into the bus side door.

8:10 pm – No movement inside the bus. No confirmation if the hostages are dead or alive.

8: 20 pm – Media shows footage of person lying on the floor inside the bus, near the side door

8:30 pm - Police opens the back door of the bus

8:35 pm - Gunfire erupts around the bus. Smoke is coming out of the bus

8:39 pm - Bystander hit by stray bullet

8:40 pm - Police requested media to turn off their lights

8:42 pm – hostage-taker Mendoza was riddled with bullets and died on the spot

8:45 pm - Survivors inside bus were led by the police out by the bus

8:50 pm - Police, media and medical units surrounded the bus as hostages get out

8:59 pm - Four surviving hostages alighted alive from the bus

9:14 pm – Wounded hostages were taken out of the bus. At least seven hostages survived the ordeal

Mendoza's family in Tanauan, Batangas said they have no knowledge of the late policeman's plan of hostage taking.

The Hong Kong government has issued a travel ban to the Philippines.