The chief of the Manila Police District (MPD), who has been relieved from his post, testified on Thursday that Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim had ordered the arrest of the brother of a dismissed MPD captain who killed eight Hong Kong tourists in a botched rescue attempt.
Appearing before two Senate committees, Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay said Lim ordered the arrest of Gregorio Mendoza, the younger brother of hostage-taker former senior inspector Rolando Mendoza, for allegedly interfering in the negotiations for the release of the victims.
The arrest of Gregorio, also a member of the MPD with the rank of special police officer 2, is widely believed to have “agitated” Rolando and caused him to go on a killing rampage before he himself was slain by police snipers.
Rolando held hostage a busload of Hong Kong tourists at the Luneta Park in Manila that led to the killing of eight of the 22 visitors on board amid accusations of police bumbling and fumbling in the rescue attempt.
However, aides of Lim, also a veteran police officer, justified his arrest order in his capacity as the head of the crisis management committee assigned to bring the hostage drama to a peaceful conclusion.
Police mishandling of the 11-hour hostage drama, covered live by radio and television networks and beamed worldwide, was confirmed by police officers themselves and government officials during the hearing.
Secretary Jesse Robredo of the Department of Interior and Local Government told senators there was much to be desired during the “tactical operations” when assault teams attempted to rescue the hostages.
Robredo said he was satisfied with the negotiation stage until “outside forces” intervened, like the arrest of the brother of the hostage-taker who witnessed it from a TV set inside the tourist bus.
The senators also lamented that the rescue teams, who belonged to the MPD special weapons and tactics (Swat) unit, were apparently not properly trained, which was worsened by the fact that they did not have adequate equipment like bullet proof vests, gas masks, helmets and even stun grenades.
The country’s broadcast media likewise came under heavy fire for airing sensitive portions of the rescue operation which, security experts said, enabled the hostage-taker to get a full view from the TV set of the movements of the assault teams outside the bus.
During the hearing, the senators also learned that Magtibay was relieved as the MPD chief after he took full responsibility for the botched rescue attempt as the ground commander.
Magtibay offered to take a leave but Director General Jesus Mendoza, the chief of the Philippine National Police, rejected his offer and instead ordered his relief and replaced him with Senior Superintendent Federico Villaroman.
However, Magtibay told the senators he would not quit as demanded by lawmakers and other concerned sectors as he emphasized: “I am not going to resign because my conscience is clear.”
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