Bus hostage-taker killed in N. Philippines

An alleged bus hostage-taker was killed, while a policeman and two children were hurt in an incident in northern Philippines Monday afternoon, police said. Philippine National Police spokesman Senior Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr. said that certain Pedro Brine boarded a 5-Star Bus at the Dau bus terminal in Pampanga province. He said the bus was en route to Pangasinan province when the hostage-taker held two children, aged two and four, using a knife. "Police Officer Eduardo Santiago, a police assigned in Laguna Provincial Police Office, who was a passenger in the bus tried to intercede but the suspect stabbed him," Cruz said. However, Santiago took the opportunity to retaliate and he shot dead the suspect, China''s News Agency (Xinhua) reported. He said the police and the three children who suffered minor injuries were brought to the nearest hospital for treatment as investigation is ongoing to determine the motive of the hostage- taker