Philippine police today stormed a bus on which a former police officer armed with an assault rifle was holding 15 Hong Kong tourists, with local media reporting that the gunman had been killed.
At least seven hostages crawled out of the back door of the vehicle, but medical crews were also seen removing bodies.
There was no immediate confirmation of any casualties in the day-long standoff, which happened in the centre of Manila, the Philippines capital.
The end of the siege came more than an hour after police commandos surrounded the bus after a series of shots, one of which injured a 14-year-old bystander.
The driver of the bus was seen running to safety after the gunshots were fired. Marksmen had also shot out the tyres of the bus to immobilise it.
The gunman, identified as Rolando Mendoza, a 55-year-old former senior inspector, had taken 24 passengers hostage. Most were tourists from Hong Kong.
Mendoza ‑ who was sacked from the Manila force a year ago ‑ seized the hostages in an attempt to demand his reinstatement, police said.
His brother, Gregorio, a senior police officer, was heard helping to negotiate with him. The Guardian
