Philippine Hotel Damaged In "Siege" To Re-Open After A Week

November 30, 2007 6:19 a.m. EST

Manila, Philippines (AHN) - The hotel in the Philippines' financial district that was damaged on Thursday by a military and police assault aimed at arresting protesting soldiers inside the building will reopen next week.

Inquirer.net quoted the spokesman of the Manila Peninsula in Makati City as saying on Friday that the hotel staff will clean up the mess caused by the siege and do an inventory of the damages before resuming operations.

Mariano Andres Garchitorena, the hotel's public information manager, added that repair of damages and breakage have started, according to the Inquirer.net. He gave no estimate of the amount of damage, which includes a destroyed front entrance door.

Manila Peninsula guests, who were evacuated to other nearby hotels during the short-lived occupation of the hotel by about 30 soldiers led by former navy officer and Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and army Brigadier General Danilo Lim, returned to the hotel to get their things on Friday.

An armored personnel carrier from the military smashed the door to enter the Manila Peninsula at the height of the siege of the hotel on Thursday. Window glasses were also reportedly shattered as shots were fired by assaulting troops and police.

Trillanes, Lim, the soldiers and other supporters were arrested six hours after they occupied the hotel, where they called again for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's resignation. The same group of soldiers is facing charges of mutiny for taking over the Oakwood hotel also in Makati in 2003.