By Xinhua,
Manila : A Philippine bus with at least a dozen people on board was held hostage by a lone gunman who reportedly shot dead one passenger, wounding at least two others, local media reported Thursday.
The local TV network ABS-CBN News said the suspect is still holding five to six women hostages on the bus with a 0.38 caliber pistol and knife.
Police have yet to identify the fatality “whose body was pushed out of the bus by the suspect,” the report said.
Previous reports said there were two men being shot and have been taken out of the bus.
Patched local reports said the hostage drama occurred at around2 p.m. when the bus passed Lourdes village of the northern province of Pampanga. Most of the passengers managed to escape before the suspect began shooting inside the bus.
Local police are still negotiating with the gunman who reportedly demanded a gateway vehicle.
Local radio reports said the alleged hostage-taker seemed a bit “deranged” while the Philippine Daily Inquirer described the suspect as someone “apparently having problems with his wife”.