The world who glued to their television watched in horror as the 10-hour hostage drama involving a bemedalled cop ended in a bloody scene, with the supposed hostage taker killed and a dozen of foreign tourist critically wounded.

Like the famed Batman series character Harvey Dent, dismissed Police Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza of the Philippine National Police (PNP) started his life as a hero but only to see himself die as the villain.

Rain pounded hard on the bus that was once filled with laughing tourists of Hong-Thai travel and tourist bus as members of the Manila Police District’s Special Weapons and Tactics Unit swooped down at the rear portion of the vehicle and sprayed multiple bullets of the police officer, who was standing near the vehicle’s door at around 8:00 p.m.

District Public Safety Management Battalion (DPSMB) head Senior Superintendent Nelson Yabut in a news conference told reporters that at least four tourists were confirmed safe while he could not confirm as of the moment on the status of the 12 other hostages.

On the other hand, a 12-year-old boy whom his friends identified as Michael was hit on the right leg while a still unidentified police officer was likewise wounded during the hostage drama that started at around 10:00 a.m., Monday.

Mendoza’s bloodied body clad in fatigue pants and a red jacket which was used to cover the hostage-takers face has been taken away from the site and brought to the Ospital ng Maynila (Manila Hospital).

Hong-Thai driver Alberto Lubang, 38, who escaped from his captor during a brief gunbattle between the suspect and authorities recounted that he could not believe he escaped the harrowing situation despite being handcuffed in a steering wheel.

The only complain that Lubang told reporters inside a police precinct near the historic Manila Hotel that he was feeling partially deaf because of the loud gunshots that rang inside the enclosed bus.

What saved his life was his nail cutter which he carries with him when going to work, according to the driver.

“Habang nakikita kong nagkakaputukan sa loob, nilalagare ko yung posas ko. Tapos nung napigtas na siya, naisip ko na isalba yung sarili ko kaysa sa maiwan ako sa loob ng bus at mabaril,” Lubang recounted.

Asked why he did not think twice in jumping of the bus when Mendoza was already running amuck, the driver said that he felt the suspect will not hurt him because he was the only Filipino left inside the bus.

“Alam ko na yung kapwa niya Pinoy hindi niya sasaktan,” he said.

At around 10:00 a.m. Monday, at least 22 foreign nationals and four Filipinos were held hostage by a dismissed member of the Manila Police District (MPD) inside a bus parked near the Quirino Grandstand in Ermita, Manila yesterday.

Nine hostages have been released earlier and at least 17 Chinese Nationals were left on the bus with Mendoza.

The armalite-wielding suspect, has earlier freed eight other hostages identified as, photographer Danilo Medril, 64, tour guide Rigor Cruz, 73-year-old Lee See Que (Lee See Kyu in some reports), Tsang Yee Lai, 40, and her children Fu Chang Yin, 4, Fu Chak Yin, 10, and family friend Wong Ching Nat, 12, Diana Chan. Another unidentified woman was also released at around 10:30 am.

Earlier, broadcast commentator Erwin Tulfo arrived at the Quirino Grandstand at around 3:45 p.m. on Monday to help in negotiating with Mendoza, for the release of his foreign hostages and a Filipino bus driver.

Tulfo arrived at the scene and entered the cordoned area after Mendoza posted another message on the bus where he has been holding foreign tourists and a Filipino driver, captive: "Media now."

Tulfo was briefed by the police about the situation before he approached the tourist bus carrying the hostages.

Mendoza posted the "Media now" message some 30 minutes after 3 p.m., the hour by which police negotiators and media were expecting something to happen following a message from Mendoza that stated "Big deal will start after 3 p.m. today."

Negotiators had hooked up a phone line to the bus to facilitate negotiations with Mendoza.

As of late Monday afternoon, the bus’ gasoline supply had been replenished at least two times.

Superintendent Orlando Yebra and Chief Inspector Romeo Salvador have taken the lead in the negotiations with the hostage taker.

Tension rose when members of the MPD collared Senior Police Officer 2 Gregorio Mendoza, the suspect’s brother, was arrested for carrying a gun without the knowledge of authorities.

In a radio broadcast, Mendoza threatened to shoot his hostages should the police officers continue to bring his brother to the police station.

He once again repeated his threats of killing two of the Chinese hostages should authorities fail to give his demand.

The first gunfire, however, was first heard at around 6:00 p.m. when Mendoza made a warning shot after as an act of dismay over the Office of the Ombudsman’s reply to his demand, in connection with his dismissal from the service on charges of torturing and extorting from a suspect.

The loud bang was heard at about 6:20 p.m. Moments later, SPO2 Gregorio Mendoza, the brother of the hostage-taker, came back with the negotiators from the bus after another apparent attempt at an agreement.

But the brother and the negotiators were tight-lipped and would not say what happened, and what the shot was all about.

Manila hostage-taking updates

See also:

• Palace meets with PNP on hostage drama
• Chinese Embassy to RP: ensure safety of hostage survivors
• Gunman killed; gov't gains control of bus
• Gov't debriefing hostages
• Manila hostage-taking over
• Philippine hostage crisis ends with several hostages alive
• Hostages at Rizal Park
• Hostage-taker a decorated cop with 17 medals
• Mendoza an 'honest' policeman
• Hostage-taker dismissed due to alleged extortion
• Hostage-taker just wants to be reinstated
• 8 passengers released from tourist bus hijacked in Manila
• 7 released in bus hostage taking
• Ex-policeman in Philippines holds tourists hostage