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The Philippines is mourning Wednesday the death of eight Hong Kong tourists who were killed in a tragic hostage crisis, which ended Monday in bloodshed.

Manila hostage crisis

Philippine flags at the presidential palace, the Senate, the New Executive Building at the official residence of the Philippine president and the Philippine National Police headquarters, flew at half-mast on Wednesday as an expression of mourning for the victims of the bloody hostage crisis in Manila, local media GMANews reported.

The flags also fly at half-staff at other government agencies, the report said.

Philippine President Benigno Aquino III has declared Aug. 25 as day of national mourning for the victims of Monday's bloody hostage-taking incident.

Aside from all government agencies, the country's embassies and consulates abroad, were also ordered to lower the Philippine flag?at half-mast.

The eleven-hour long hostage-taking incident in the Philippine capital ended with eight tourists from Hong Kong dead. The hostage taker, dismissed police Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza, was also killed during the cross-fire with the police forces.

Mendoza seized the tourist bus early Monday morning and demanded to be reinstated to his former post.

As of Wednesday morning, the bodies of the eight victims have already been transferred to funeral homes in Manila, Philippines' capital and are scheduled to be flown back to Hong Kong later in the afternoon.

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