Manila Hostage Drama

MANILA, Philippines -- Hostage takers Armando “Jun” Ducat and Caezar Carbonell will stay in jail after they were charged on Monday with 27 counts of serious illegal detention, a nonbailable offense, and other offenses.

The two were also charged with two counts of slight illegal detention and violation of the election gun ban at the Manila Regional Trial Court.

The city prosecutor’s office released a seven-page resolution finding probable cause to press charges against Ducat and Carbonell who took hostage 26 children and three teachers inside a bus parked at the Bonifacio Shrine on March 28.

The hostages were safely released, and the Manila Police District (MPD) recovered two firearms and two grenades from Ducat.

‘Untenable’

The resolution, recommended by a panel of prosecutors, said Ducat’s contention that there were no complainants was “untenable.”

It said that while the children’s parents would not press charges, the policemen who filed the complaint were “competent persons.”

They were Senior Insp. Edgar Reyes, SPO2 Fernando Cantillas, SPO3 Rogelio Carbonnel, PO3 Jerry Campo, Supt. Rogelio Rosales Jr., Supt. Rodolfo Llorca and Senior Insp. Jesus Respes.

The MPD charged Ducat and Carbonell with violation of Article 267 of the Revised Penal Code (serious illegal detention) and Republic Act No. 962 for violating the election gun ban.

Chief prosecutor Jhosep Lopez, however, dismissed the charge of illegal possession of firearms and explosives because, he said, the two grenades that Ducat carried with him were not live.

Consent

“We are very much depressed with what the prosecutors decided,” said William delos Santos, Carbonell’s lawyer, in a phone interview. “They did not consider the fact that the parents have already said they gave their consent in their affidavits.”

The teachers, he said, also refused to press charges.

About 100 residents of Parola Compound in Tondo, where Ducat operated the Musmos Daycare Center, including his family members, rallied in front of the City Hall Monday in support of the two men.

His eldest daughter, Irene, broke down in tears and hugged his brother, Lance, upon learning that her father was charged.

“Why did it result in that? That’s not right! We didn’t expect this because we were one with the parents,” she said.

Ducat and Carbonell will remain detained at the MPD because of the nonbailable offense. Illegal detention carries a penalty of life imprisonment.

Lydia Germones, one of the parents who will not press charges, assailed the resolution and blamed Manila Mayor Lito Atienza for it.

“Whatever happens, we will support Ducat. He (Atienza) was just embarrassed by what Ducat did,” she said.

Ducat and Carbonell are also facing a separate case of 26 counts of child abuse filed by Celerina Sangil, head of City Hall’s social welfare department. Lopez said the child abuse charges will be assigned to a new prosecutor.

“We are confident that the case will prosper in court,” said Lopez.