At least eight dead in Philippines as siege ends with police storming bus

[b.Lee]

Sorry if this isn't appropriate, just sharing news. Please delete if needed.

This is the worst display of "SWAT" trained officers in the world!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/aug/23/manila-bus-siege-hostages-philippines-china

An embittered policeman killed at least seven tourists today whom he had taken hostage in a fatally ill-conceived plot to get his job back before being shot dead by police marksmen in Manilla.

Furious about being sacked for misconduct two years ago, Rolando Mendoza, 55, began his murderous mission at the historic walled city of Intramuros, where, armed with an M16 automatic rifle, he hitched a lift on a bus carrying visitors from Hong Kong, who were on the final day of their tour of the country. When the vehicle reached Jos é Rizal park, near Manila Bay, he announced that he was taking the 24 passengers hostage until he was guaranteed a return to his job.

Videos are sort of graphic, Not Safe for Work or Kids

[Bassn Blvd]

That was absolutely the worst approach to a bus I have ever seen.  It appears the hostages were killed prior to swat approaching it though.

[=Matt 5.0=]

Talk about amateur hour.... 

[Dan:]

wow. They had absolutely no plan put together. That was awful.

[Scorcher214]

There was another vid on youtube, where he was letting people out of the bus and he could be clearly seen by all, and no shots wer taken or anything. Then the shotter looked out of a window for  like 8 seconds and nothing was done. That on swat guy accidentally threw his hammer into the bus and reached in and got it back. JEEZ! A group of 9th graders could do better!

[Redlinerobert]

I cant even use the word SWAT in my description.

This was just a matter of budget and priorities - they don't have the funds to properly train a decent hostage-rescue team. Sounds like an opportunity for US Special Forces guys...