One of the suspects who hostaged at least 32 school-children and two teachers aboard a tourist bus in front of the Bonifacio Shrine near Manila City Hall on Wednesday morning, demanded free education for day-care center children.
Jun Ducat, who spoke for the group said it is the duty of the government to give free education to the poor.
"Tungkulin ng gobyerno na bigyan ng edukasyon ang mga mahihirap,"Â said Ducat in a statement monitored over the radio.
He also warned responding operatives of the Manila Police District against assaulting the bus, saying the safety of the children might be compromised.
Reports said the school-children were students of the Musmos Day-Care Center in Parola, Tondo, Manila, who were on their way to a field trip in Tagaytay.
The driver of the tourist bus who was released by the hostage-takers said the suspects were actually teachers.
Meanwhile, opposition Senator Alfredo Lim, in a radio interview, said he knows Ducat.
Lim said the suspect held hostage a priest in Sta Cruz, Manila about 20 years ago for not paying him the balance due him for some construction work at the San Roque church.
Through negotiations, Ducat surrendered two grenades, which turned out to be fake, and released the priest, Lim said. (PNA) LAP/vcs/VR/cbc
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