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A10 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 3 March 2020
Ex-guard frees dozens of hostages in Manila mall, is subdued

MANILA, Philippines (AP) "I'm very thankful that ev- ruption.
— A recently dismissed se- erything ended up peace- In a bid to appease the
curity guard freed dozens fully," said the mayor, who suspect during the hostage
of hostages and was sub- negotiated with the hos- crisis, six officers in charge
dued by police after walk- tage-taker to give up his of overseeing the mall's
ing out of a shopping mall weapons and guaranteed security apologized to him
in the Philippine capital on his safety shortly before the at an early evening news
Monday, ending a day- crisis ended. conference for "shortcom-
long hostage crisis in an up- "He was asking if it's the ings" and resigned or of-
scale commercial district cemetery or prison and fered to quit.
near the police and military I told him, Archie, you're "I'm asking for his forgive-
headquarters, officials said. safe," Zamora said. ness, and because of this,
The former guard at the The gunman shot and I'll resign from my job so this
Greenhills shopping center, wounded a security officer crisis will come to an end,"
identified by police as Ar- at the V-Mall, part of the said Oscar Hernandez, one
chie Paray, left the mall in Police subdue hostage taker Archie Paray, center, as he speaks Greenhills complex, before of the security officers.
San Juan City in metropoli- to the waiting media shortly after releasing all his hostages at he rushed to the second SWAT commandos entered
tan Manila with the remain- the V-Mall in Manila, Philippines on Monday, March 2, 2020. floor and took the hostag- the mall as the crisis un-
ing hostages, who were Associated Press es, Zamora said. The mall folded, assault rifles ready.
then secured by police. officer was in stable condi- Other policemen stood
Several others had man- ately arrested, the suspect second-floor administrative tion at a nearby hospital. by outside, along with an
aged to escape earlier, was allowed to speak for office where he had held The hostage taker was ambulance. The shopping
police said. several minutes to jour- dozens of hostages, many dismissed after abandon- complex, popular for its res-
"Everyone is in shock, very nalists and authorities to of them mall employees. ing his job in recent weeks taurants, shops, bars and
traumatized. We'll have to describe his grievances Other people hid in nearby without notifying manage- a bazaar, lies near an up-
give them time to recover," against his former bosses, offices and hallways and ment, Zamora said. scale residential enclave,
said San Juan Mayor Fran- whom he accused of cor- escaped in batches, he The suspect later used his a golf club and the police
cis Zamora, who ordered ruption and abuse, before said. cellphone to deliver a mes- and military headquarters
an investigation, including police approached and There were between 60 to sage to the guards and in the bustling Manila me-
into how the suspect was subdued him. 70 hostages and people the media, expressing his tropolis of more than 12
able to enter the mall with Zamora said the suspect who were trapped in the anger over a change in his million people, where law
a pistol and grenades. had a pistol with him when mall by the standoff, Zamo- work hours and accusing and order have long been
Instead of being immedi- he walked down from a ra said. some of his superiors of cor- a concern.q

'I am not a traitor': Malaysia's new PM appeals for support

By EILEEN NG ousted, along with several "I offer my body and soul
Associated Press smaller parties, to form a to the country," Muhyiddin
KUALA LUMPUR, Malay- Malay-majority govern- said. "Give me a chance
sia (AP) — Malaysia's new ment. to leverage my 40 years of
prime minister, Muhyiddin "I know some people are political and government
Yassin, appealed Monday angry with me. As expect- experience to steer Malay-
to the divided nation for a ed, some parties labeled sia to glory."
chance to prove his mettle me as a traitor. Listen care- Muhyiddin and Mahathir
amid doubts over his legiti- fully. I am not a traitor," were former members of
macy, and vowed to form Muhyiddin said in a late- UMNO who formed Bersatu
a corruption-free Cabinet night televised speech. "My in 2016 amid anger over a
despite aligning with a for- conscience is clear that I massive corruption scandal
mer scandal-plagued par- am here to save the coun- involving the 1MDB state in-
ty. try from prolonged political vestment fund.
In his first address to the turmoil." In this photo released by Malaysia's Department of Information, Muhyiddin served in vari-
the country's new Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin poses for pic-
nation since being sworn Muhyiddin said his week- tures on his first day at the prime minister's office in Putrajaya, ous ministries during Maha-
in on Sunday, Muhyiddin end appointment by the Malaysia, Monday, March 2, 2020. thir's first stint as prime min-
said he wasn't a traitor and king was by the book be- Associated Press ister for 22 years until 2003.
blamed former Prime Minis- cause he has the support He was appointed deputy
ter Mahathir Mohamad for of a majority of lawmakers. are on trial on graft charg- turn to power. Muhyiddin, a prime minister when Na-
causing last week's political That has been disputed by es. nationalistic politician who jib took power in 2009 but
turmoil with his resignation. Mahathir, who said he had Many Malaysians are an- once famously quipped he was sacked in 2015 after he
He gave no explanation majority backing to serve gered by what they see as was Malay first and Malay- criticized Najib's handling
of why he led his Bersatu as prime minister for a third a betrayal of their vote for sian second, also vowed to of the 1MDB scandal.
party out of the governing time and called for an ur- a change in 2018 elections, be a prime minister for all Bersatu teamed up with
Alliance of Hope, depriving gent vote in Parliament. with small protest rallies ethnic groups. the Alliance of Hope with a
it of a majority and caus- Mahathir, 94, has said he held over the weekend to His government also in- pact that Mahathir would
ing its collapse less than felt betrayed by long-time "reject the traitors" and the cludes a hard-line Islamic eventually hand over pow-
two years after its historic ally Muhyiddin, who he said hashtag #NotMyPM trend- party, sparking fears of er to former rival Anwar
victory in 2018 that ousted had been plotting a coup ing on Twitter. greater Islamization and Ibrahim. Muhyiddin was the
a corruption-tainted coali- for a long time with the Muhyiddin, 72, promised more pro-Malay policies. home minister under the
tion that had ruled for 61 United Malays National Or- to pick individuals who are Ethnic Malays account for short-lived alliance but only
years. ganization, where several clean, have integrity and 60% of Malaysia's 32 million took up the post months
Bersatu joined hands with officials including former are of high caliber for his people, with large Chinese later following treatment
the same coalition that it Prime Minister Najib Razak Cabinet despite UMNO's re- and Indian minorities. for pancreatic cancer.q