2010-08-24 16:44

MANILA - The Chinese Embassy officials in the Philippines confirmed on Tuesday that the death toll from the hostage crisis in Manila on Monday remain at eight up to Tuesday.

"As far as I know, the death toll was eight so far," said the embassy spokesman.

But, an official from the Philippine investigation team said at a sideline of a press conference on Tuesday that nine hostages have died.

Earlier, Local Radio dzBB reported that the death toll from Monday's hostage crisis in Manila climbed to 10, including the hostage taker, as of early Tuesday.

A 21-member Hong Kong tour group aboard a bus was hijacked by a dismissed Filipino policeman earlier Monday. The crisis ended on Monday night with eight tourists killed, another seven injured.

Monday's incident drew sharp criticism against the police's handling of the case.

Philippine President Benigno Aquino III himself said he was not satisfied with the way the incident was handled.

Even the business community was also not pleased with the bloody way the incident ended, according to a report by dzBB's Denver Trinidad.

In a statement, the Chinese embassy in the Philippines has "strongly condemned the atrocity by the hostage-taker."

Hong Kong has issued the Black Outbound Travel Alert for the Philippines.