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Gunmen seize bus in Philippines Gunmen seize bus in Philippines
(20 minutes later)
At least two armed men have taken 32 children and two teachers hostage on a bus near the centre of the Philippines capital Manila, police say. At least two men have taken at least 30 children and several teachers hostage on a bus near the centre of the Philippines capital Manila, police say.
Special police have surrounded the bus and are negotiating with the men. TV pictures showed children waving, but they appeared unharmed. Special police have surrounded the bus and are negotiating with the hostage-takers, who said they were armed with guns and grenades.
Reports say the hostage-takers are armed with guns and grenades, and are already on the run from police. One of the men told a local radio station that they were seeking education for a group of children.
They are said to be communicating with police via messages on cardboard. TV pictures showed children on the bus waving, but they appeared unharmed.
They wrote that they possessed an Uzi assault rifle, a revolver and two grenades, and that they were demanding free housing and education for an unspecified group of children. The children, from a day-care centre in a poor district of the capital, were reportedly on a tour of Manila.
"Hopefully we can convince the hostage-takers," General Reynaldo Varilla, head of the national capital region police command, told local radio. Radio station
One of the men, who identified himself as Jun Ducat, told a radio station via his mobile phone that they were seeking education and housing for 145 children from the day-care centre.
"I love these children, that's why I am here," he said. "I will not start any shooting."
The men are said to have told police via messages on cardboard that they possessed an Uzi assault rifle, a revolver and two grenades.
"Hopefully we can convince the hostage-takers," Gen Reynaldo Varilla, head of the national capital region police command, told local radio.
"I have instructions to ensure no one gets hurt.""I have instructions to ensure no one gets hurt."
Initial reports had suggested the men had stormed the bus, but a police official, Senior Superintendent Danilo Abarzosa, said that was not the case.
"They were already inside the bus when it left [the day-care centre]," he said.
This is the second hostage situation in Manila in two weeks. On 14 March, a marine took four people hostage in a court over an eviction issue.