MANILA, Philippines?President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III has apologized to those offended when he was caught on television apparently smiling while being interviewed at the crime scene hours after Monday?s bloody hostage-taking.

At a press conference in Malacañang, Aquino said his smile then was maybe just an "expression of exasperation rather than anything."

"My smile might have been misunderstood. I have several expressions. I smile when I'm happy, I smile when I'm faced with a very absurd situation...and if I offended certain people, I apologize to them,? he said.

"It's more of an expression maybe of exasperation rather than anything and again, I apologize if I offended certain people, who misunderstood (my) facial expression," he said.

Eight Hong Kong tourists and the hostage taker?a disgruntled former police officer?were killed during the 11-hour hostage crisis.