Philippine Police Kill Hostage Taker

Police storm a bus where a former policeman was holding a group of Hong Kong tourists, killing him but failing to save all of the hostages.<br /><br />An 11-hour standoff between police and a hostage taker comes to a bloody end. <br /><br />Philippine police shot and killed a sacked former policeman who was holding 15 Hong Kong tourists on a bus in downtown Manila. <br /><br />Armed with an M-16 assualt rifle, 55-year-old former police captain Rolando Mendoza stopped the bus with 25 people on board.<br /><br />The Red Cross said at least five hostages left the bus alive after Mendoza died, but more bodies were removed. <br /><br />For much of the day Mendoza could be seen negotiating with police.<br /><br />He had released nine hostages, six from Hong Kong and three from the Philippines. <br /><br />Mendoza's brother Gregorio said Rolando was upset by his dismissal from the police for extortion, which cut off his retirement benefits. <br /><br />Gregorio was taken into custody by police and found with a gun as he approached the bus. <br /><br />At nighttime police commandos broke the windows of the bus after Mendoza fired shots. <br /><br />By midnight they had raided the bus and killed him.