Young survivor tells of plan to subdue gunman
Feb 19, 2011
A 16-year-old survivor of the Manila bus tragedy said yesterday that hostages talked among themselves about subduing the gunman during the long ordeal.
Tracey Wong Cheuk-yiu, who lost both parents in the bloodbath that day, told the coroner’s court that she relayed a message from one of the hostages about a plot to take control of the situation if possible.
“[Mrs Leung's daughter] said that we will subdue the gunman if necessary. She asked me to pass on the message, and I told my dad,” said Wong, who was 15 at the time of the hijacking.
She was testifying on the fifth day of the inquest into the deaths of eight Hongkongers held hostage by sacked police officer Rolando Mendoza on August 23.
Wong, the youngest survivor of the shootings, told the court that she was in the middle section of the bus on the driver’s side of the bus. She said one of Amy Leung Ng Yau-woon’s two daughters β Doris Leung Chung-see, 21, or Jessie Leung Song-yi, 14, was sitting behind her. Wong’s father Wong Tze-lam, 51, was sitting in front of her.
Tracey Wong could not remember which of the daughters was behind her, but the court heard from survivor Lee Ying-chuen, 36, earlier that it would have been Doris Leung.
Lee testified earlier that she had planned to grab Mendoza’s rifle while other tour members held him down: “Mr Leung [Kam-wing] even said to Jason and Jessie: `When we steal the rifle, you guys have to help … did you hear?’”
Lee initiated a discussion to subdue Mendoza with tour guide Masa Tse Ting-chunn, 31 – who was later killed – and survivor Chan Kwok-chu, 46, the court heard earlier.
Tracey Wong said she didn’t know why the plan was not executed.
Tracey Wong’s father; mother Yeung Yee-wa, 44; and aunt Yeung Yee-kam, 46, all died. Her brother Jason Wong Ching-yat, 12, pretended to be a relative of survivor Tsang Yee-lai and was released by the gunman.
Tear gas was thrown into the bus twice, Tracey Wong said. “It stung my throat and my eyes.”
Tracey Wong began to cry as soon as footage showing the bus was aired in court. Her cousin Tsang Wai-yin and clinical psychologist Cheng Ka-wai sat beside her as she gave evidence. She said “I don’t remember” to many of the questions posed by coroner’s officer Memi Ng Mee-Wah.
Tracey Wong said she ducked when Mendoza fired the first shot. But she sat up when she saw that others were calm and no one was hurt. Mendoza sat down next to her two or three times as he talked on the phone, the court heard. He sounded angry and she dared not look at him so she kept her head down.
As soon as the gunman opened fire again, she hid under the seat with her eyes shut out of fear. In between series of gunshots, she heard Mendoza conversing with someone outside the bus in several exchanges.
She remained under the seat until she heard someone from outside yell, “Is there anyone in there?” when the shootings paused for a little while. She walked past a body lying in the aisle as she headed to the emergency exit in the dark.
The inquest continues on Monday before Michael Chan Pik-kiu.
Officers did not seek details of gunman or bus, inquest told
Maggie Ng
Manila residents and tourists spending a vacation in Philippines prefer to travel out of town from Manila to the north to visit Subic, Pampanga, Angeles City and Clark Philippines. While many areas of the Philippines are plagued by crime and security concerns, Clark continues to impress the travel and tourism observers with its immaculately low crime records. Other features of Clark that attract family tourists and those visitors that are health sensitive include low pollution, peace and quiet ambiance and a most welcome absence of traffic congestion.
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