DFA: No Pinoy among Hostages in Sydney Crisis

The Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday said no Filipino was among the hostages in Monday’s crisis at a cafe in Sydney in Australia, GMA News Online reported.

A report quoted DFA spokesman Charles Jose as saying the New South Wales police indicated there was no Filipino hostage.

Philippine consul general to Australia Anne Jalando-on on Monday said they are “hoping and praying” that no Filipino was among the hostage drama that lasted more than 16 hours and ended with three dead, including the suspected hostage-taker.

The incident ended after heavily armed Australian police stormed the cafe to end the siege, report said.

New South Wales Police Commissioner Andrew Scipionesaid said a man took 17 people hostage and exchanged gunfire with the police, before being killed. But at least two people – a 34-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman – were also killed.

Report said the hostage­taker, who earlier had unfurled an Islamic flag, was named by ABC television and other media as an Iranian-born “cleric” called Man Haron Monis. A photo of Monis was published sporting a beard and a white turban and said he was on bail for a series of violent offenses, the AFP report said over GMA News online.

Siege of the Lindt chocolate cafe began Monday morning and triggered a massive security lockdown in Sydney’s bustling commercial district as hundreds of police surrounded the site.

Earlier, the Sydney Opera House was evacuated over report of a suspicious package hours after the hostage crisis.

Source: GMA News Online