Posted: 28 March 2007 1919 hrs

MANILA : A gunman holding a busload of pre-schoolers and two teachers in the Philippine capital of Manila released them all late on Wednesday, ending a 10-hour standoff.

Some of the children kissed the hostage-taker, pre-school boss Amando "Jun" Ducat, as they were helped off the bus by police and emergency workers.

Ducat later surrendered to police, handing over two grenades he had held to a politician who had gone aboard the bus to negotiate the surrender. But there was confusion about the whereabouts of up to two other gunmen who were earlier reported to have been on board the vehicle, which was driven away by the police after Ducat's surrender.

"I just can't understand why Pinoys (not all) are brainless. They always came out with stupid ideas -- like this one."