Hostage taker gets star treatment at daycare center

MANILA, Philippines - More than a year after taking his own wards hostage, trader Armando Ducat Jr got warm welcome Monday from children and parents he visited at his day-care center in Manila. Radio dzBB's Sam Nielsen reported that Ducat got the star treatment upon his arrival at the Musmos Day Care Center in Parola Compound in Tondo. Ducat, now 58, sported shoulder-length hair during the visit. He asked his security escorts to remove his handcuffs while he addressed the children. He also admitted he still feels sore against the government for pursuing a case of serious illegal detention against him despite the parents and children being on his side. In March 2007, Ducat took a bus loaded with students from his day-care center "hostage" in Manila, where he took the opportunity to score corruption in government. He eventually yielded to authorities in the evening, even as the schoolchildren and parents said they are not keen on filing charges against him. Ducat's Monday visit to the day-care center was made possible after a Manila court granted his "extreme urgent ex parte motion" to visit the facility. Educational support With him at the visit was Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr, who distributed some 200 packs containing school supplies to the preschool children at the center. "The assistance is not really enough to fully cover their studies this school year. But it would help them for a start," Revilla said. Revilla, who considers Ducat a "personal friend and kumpare," had helped negotiate with Ducat for the release of the "hostages." A statement from Revilla's office Monday noted that one of Ducat's demands during the hostage-taking was the educational support for the children enrolled at Kaluskos Musmos Day Care Center. Revilla vowed to extend assistance to the school children. "This is the fulfillment of what I promised to Jun. I will keep on helping the students of Kaluskos Musmos Day Care Center as long as I could," Revilla explained. Aside from those who are presently enrolled, Revilla also gave scholarship assistance to the 26 former students of the Kaluskos Musmos Day Care Center. The 26 beneficiaries, who were the ones held hostage by Ducat, are already in elementary level. Tanodbata Meanwhile, to protect children from similar incidents, Revilla re-filed a pet bill of former Senate President Pro-tempore Juan Flavier that seeks to create the Office of Tanodbata. The Tanodbata is an independent body which shall be powerful and aggressive enough to initiate investigation and pursue the prosecution, on its own, of any incidences of child abuse, exploitation and discrimination. Under Revilla's Senate Bill no. 811, the Office of the Tanodbata shall investigate, on complaint by any person or on its own, and initiate court action against any person, corporation or firm, for any and all commissions of child abuse. It shall have one special prosecutor and one investigator for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The Office of the Tanodbata shall direct any government agency to render assistance and furnish information necessary for the welfare of Filipino children and shall ensure that legislation relating to the protection of children's right is observed. - GMANews.TV