Hostage taker Ducat posts bail on Christmas eve

Hostage taker engineer Armando “Jun” Ducat was freed on a P1.3-million bail Wednesday afternoon, Christmas eve.

In a phone interview, Ducat’s legal counsel, lawyer Antonious Collado said Ducat was freed on a P50,000 bail for each count of serious illegal detention, or P1.3 million total bail for the 26 counts filed against his client.

Ducat, owner of the Musmos Daycare Center in Tondo who held hostage for nearly 10 hours 26 children and two teachers on a bus parked near the Manila City Hall in March 2007, was reunited with his family after spending one year and nine months in prison.

Collado also said, Ducat and his co-accused Caezar Augustus Carbonell, who were both charged with 26 counts of serious illegal detention at the Manila Regional Trial Court posted bail on Dec. 24, and were released around 4 p.m. of the same day. Each posted P1.3 million bail, or P50,000 for each count, Collado said.

Ducat had to sell and pawn several of his properties to be able to come up with the amount, Collado also said.

Ducat and Carbonell’s offense was non-bailable, but Collado said they earlier filed a motion to grant bail on the basis that the evidence of the prosecution was weak. “If the evidence is weak, the court usually grants bail,” he said. Collado said Ducat was met by his wife and kids at the Manila City Jail after posting bail.

Ducat was detained at the MCJ for about one and a half years since the hostage taking incident occurred.

Ducat, Collado said, was in poor health condition having an angioplasty operation due to his heart condition. He also had emphysema due to the conditions in jail. He said Ducat should have had a weekly medical check-up because of his failing health.

However, Ducat showed signs of happiness right after he was released and upon seeing his family waiting for him.

The case is being handled by the RTC, Branch 9, said Collado.

Ducat immediately went home to his residence at BF Homes, Parañaque, with his family upon his release. He was earlier operated on his heart at the Cardinal Santos Hospital. He was also being treated at the Perpetual Help Hospital in Las Piñas due to his ailments.

 “Magandang pangyayari ito na nakalaya na si Ducat,” Collado told The Star. “It became meaningful because he was released on Christmas eve, in time to spend his Christmas with his family,” said Collado.

Ducat took hostage 26 pre-school children inside a bus right across Manila City Hall, March 28, 2007.