Hostage-taker Ducat finally takes ex-captives to ‘safe’ trip

MANILA, Philippines - Exactly two years after the infamous hostage-taking drama in Manila, Armando “Jun" Ducat Jr. has finally taken his students to a “safe" trip. No more guns and fake grenades, but Ducat still boarded Musmos Day Care Center pre-schoolers on a bus, not as captives, but as tourists in Cavite. “Let’s go on a field trip," the children prodded Ducat, owner of the school in Manila’s Tondo district, last March 28, the same day he took his own students as hostages two years ago. “Are you sure you really want to go with me again?" Ducat asked in disbelief. “Yes!" the children responded with certainty. Ducat, who was imprisoned at the Manila City Jail for one year and nine months, could never have been much happier, knowing that he has somehow “regained" the trust of his little “hostages." Actually, Ducat says he has never lost the children’s trust, contrary to his negative public image. “Sila nga mismo ang bumibisita sa akin sa kulungan linggu-linggo [It was them who were visiting me in jail weekly]," said Ducat, who was freed on bail since December 24, 2008. During the hostage-taking incident, which he referred to as the “madramang pamamahayag" [loosely translated, dramatic proclamation]," Ducat held captive 26 pre-schoolers and four teachers inside a rented bus near the Bonifacio Shrine, which sent policemen scurrying to the site and negotiating for the release of the supposed captives. It would later turn out that Ducat staged the “siege" in an attempt to get public attention so that he could air his grievances against supposed corruption in government. Ducat’s act immediately sent some eyebrows rising, given that it was not the first time that he attempted to grip the public with tension just so he could get his message across. In 1989, Ducat held hostage a priest in Manila so that he could get public attention about alleged corruption activities in a local parish church. Six years later, journalists and the public scampered to get a glimpse of Ducat as he scaled the 18-foot structure on Welcome Rotonda on th eboundary of Quezon City and Manila, urging voters not to support non-Filipino candidates during elections. Field trip at last Last Saturday, however, it was a different Ducat that faced the media. He gave in to the request of 150 pre-schoolers, including those he held captive, and 10 teachers for them to be taken to a long overdue field trip. With journalists straddling behind them, Ducat and the children took a rented bus – similar to the one used in the 2007 hostage-taking – and drove to the Bonifacio Shrine, where he re-enacted the tension-filled incident. “Pagbaba ko doon sa bus, ako ay yumuko at nagpasalamat sa Diyos sa mga nangyari sa akin. Pero nag-dasal din ako dahil akala ko magugulantang ko sila dati sa gobyerno sa ginawa ko pero hindi pa rin pala," said Ducat, an engineer who earns from a subdivision he owns in Cavite. [I alighted the bus and went into a deep prayer. I thanked God for the blessings he gave me but also asked Him for guidance because the government has not changed since] From the Bonifacio Shrine, Ducat and the kids proceeded to the Fisherman’s Eco-Park Paradise in Dasmariñas, Cavite. Ducat said he ran for office 10 times since the Marcos administration. These were his attempts to try changing the corrupt practices in government. But his political career failed to flourish until he went into “scene-stealing" antics to prove his point. Now, at 58 years old, Ducat says he is already resigned to the fact that he will not be able to rid the country of corruption through his “Superman" self. “Sapat na ang ginawa ko. Wala na akong balak ulitin ang madramang pamamahayag ko. Baka patayin na nila ako. Pero ipapaubaya ko na sa mga tao na sana mamulat na sila at magsama sama sila para labanan ang katiwalian sa bansa, " Ducat told GMANews.TV Monday. [I’ve done my part. I vow not to repeat what I’ve done before. They might already try to kill me. I will just let the public do the rest] Financial debacle Ducat has so far shelled out P26 million to defend himself from the 31 criminal cases slapped against him for the March 2007 hostage-taking. The huge expenses have put him in the red with the closure of his garments factory and construction company. Nevertheless, he remains hopeful that the cases will be dismissed. With only his Cavite subdivision being his sole source of income, Ducat says he is deciding on giving birth to the Musmos Binhi ng Kinabukasan Foundation (Children Seeds of the Future Foundation). The project that will help support poor children will also welcome financial assistance from sponsors supporting Ducat’s advocacy of fighting graft and corruption. Despite the infamy that had been pinned to his name, Ducat still takes pride in believing that his “hostage-taking" had made an impact on the need to give children free education under a corrupt-free government. Not only has the incident triggered the sprouting of day care centers in the country, Ducat says journalists and filmmakers alike have also taken an inkling in featuring his 2007 “dramatic proclamation." A Spanish journalist has recently produced a documentary about Ducat’s life, which is being screened across Europe. A group of local student filmmakers have also created a film revolving on Ducat’s hostage-taking. The film has amassed several awards at festivals in the Middle East, according to Ducat. With all the “laurels" that he has so far collected for staging a dramatic protest, Ducat still has one little wish: “Sana sa field trip ng mga bata next year, kasama pa uli ako [I hope to join kids once more in next year’s field trip]." - GMANews.TV