The bodies of those killed in a horrific hostage-taking in the Philippines -- including a Chinese-Canadian man and his two daughters -- were handed over to Chinese authorities Wednesday and returned to Hong Kong.

Eight tourists were killed, along with their Filipino captor, by the time the tense 12-hour standoff ended Monday night. The tourists were on the bus as part of a trip organized by a Hong Kong-based travel agency.

Among the dead are Chinese-Canadian Ken Leung, 58, and his two daughters, 21-year-old Doris and 14-year-old Jessie.

Witnesses said Ken Leung died a hero, sacrificing himself in an attempt to save his family.

Leung's 19-year-old son Jason remains in hospital in Manila where his mother Amy Ng, who was not hurt, is staying by his side, said CTV's Beijing Bureau Chief Ben O'Hara-Byrne.

It may be another five days before Jason can be returned to Hong Kong, O'Hara-Byrne said. He is suffering from severe brain injuries. There are conflicting reports of whether he was hit by gunfire, or by a sledge hammer-type device when police stormed the bus.

Doris and Jason had both been attending school in Ontario recently.

O'Hara-Byrne said the family trip was intended as a reward for the children's excellent work in their studies.

Jason had graduated from Bronte College of Canada, an exclusive private-school for foreign students, in Mississauga, Ont. this June.

His former chemistry teacher, Pash Ummat, described Jason Leung as "a great fellow" who was well-liked by his peers and teachers.

"He would go out of his way to help people," Ummat told CTV News Channel during a telephone interview from Mississauga, Ont., on Wednesday. "Very well liked by the staff and colleagues at Bronte College."

Ummat said Jason Leung had been offered entrance to the University of Windsor and to Trent University, both of which are located in Ontario. He was still trying to decide where to go when he last talked to his former teacher.

Lynn Tucker leads the concert band that Doris Leung played clarinet in, and said she was "deeply, profoundly saddened" by news of the 21-year-old's death.

She referred to Doris Leung as a "lovely person."

"She was very quiet," Tucker said. "I think she was a shy young woman, but when she smiled she lit up the whole room."

Ken Leung was employed by Stadium Group PLC, a U.K.-based electronics manufacturer. A company spokesperson said he held a Canadian passport. It is not clear whether his children also held dual citizenship.

The hostage-taking was carried out by Rolanda Mendoza, a 55-year-old dismissed police officer who had demanded he be reinstated to his job. The climax unfolded on television as police stormed the bus and killed the gunman after he began shooting the tourists.

Police handling of the standoff has become the subject of intense criticism, as officers struggled to get into the bus and a sniper didn't take out Mendoza as soon as he began shooting the passengers.

Four of the officers involved with the stand-off have been suspended, O'Hara-Byrne reported. A chief superintendent has also taken a leave of absence, and an inquiry has been launched to discover what went wrong.

The Philippine government admitted there were "inadequacies" in how the crisis was handled, and pledged a full investigation into the hostage-taking.

With files from The Canadian Press