rolando mendoza hostage crisis ends with several captives alive

Police killed the gunman who had taken hostage a group of Hong Kong tourists in Manila, a senior police official said.

“He is dead. He was forced to retreat to the front of the vehicle when the SWAT (special weapons and tactics police) team attacked from the back,” assault leader Superintendent Nelson Yabut told AFP.
The gunman, who was identified as sacked police inspector Rolando Mendoza, had seized the tourist bus on Monday morning in a desperate bid to get his job back.

Read more...

Bb. Pilipinas titlist dies in car crash

 

A Binibining Pilipinas beauty contest titleholder and two of her companions were killed after their car crashed into a passenger bus in Camarines Sur on Saturday morning, a radio report said. Reigning Bb. Pilipinas Melody Gersbach, her driver Santos Ramos and her manager Alvin Orense died on the spot after the Innova car they were riding collided head-on with a Guevarra bus at Barangay Pawili in Bula town at past 11 a.m. Saturday, according to a report aired over Bombo Radyo. Camarines Sur provincial police director Col. Jonathan Ablang said in the report that Gersbach’s car came from Legazpi City in Albay and was heading to Naga City in Camarines Sur for a local beauty pageant when it figured in the accident.

Read more...