Sacked Manila cop holds 25 hostages in bus

Police say a dismissed policeman armed with an automatic rifle seized a bus in the Philippine capital with 25 passengers aboard, most of them Hong Kong tourists, in a bid to demand his reinstatement, police said.

Deputy director of Manila police Alex Gutierrez said police sharpshooters took positions around the white-blue-red bus, which was parked near a downtown Manila park, and negotiations to free the hostages were under way.

Manila police chief Rodolfo Magtibay said two of the Hong Kong tourists, both women, were released and were being debriefed by police. Police had earlier reported that the tourists were from South Korea.

Magtibay said others on the bus Monday included three Filipinos; a driver, a guide and a photographer.