IIRC: 10 officials, journalists may face hostage crisis raps

The Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC) will hold at least 10 people — including government officials and media personalities— accountable for the tragic ending of the August 23 hostage incident. At a news briefing in Manila on Thursday, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, the IIRC chairperson, did not identify anyone, but she hinted these include members of the media and government officers who are not part of the Philippine National Police. De Lima said the probers will recommend criminal and administrative proceedings, and possibly, disciplinary action, against the 10 persons. "More or less ten," said De Lima, when asked how many face liabilities. While she declined to name them, De Lima said the degree of accountability could go "high enough." She also said the IIRC will include recommendations on the possible liability of Deputy Ombudsman Emilio Gonzalez III, who is accused of demanding a P150,000 bribe to act on the hostage-taker's case. Gonzalez has since denied this. Hostage crisis On August 23, at around 10:00 a.m., Rolando Mendoza, a dismissed police senior inspector, hijacked the Hong Thai Travel bus where 25 people — 21 Hong Kong tourists, bus driver Alberto Lubang, tour guide Diana Chan, and two Filipino photographers — were on board. Mendoza later commandeered the bus to the Quirino Grandstand in Manila. Mendoza demanded for his reinstatement into police service and the dismissal of his pending case at the Office of the Ombudsman. As evening approached, negotiations bogged down after Mendoza called as "garbage" the Ombudsman's vow to review his case. Mendoza also started his shooting rampage when he saw the live footage of his brother being arrested. Clearance from the president In a separate text message, she said "the more accurate recommendation would be for criminal, administrative, and/or disciplinary or proceedings." De Lima repeatedly said President Benigno Aquino III has to give his clearance first before the details of the IIRC's report can be divulged. Mendoza's firearm killed hostages Also on Thursday, De Lima also said Mendoza's firearm may have killed the eight Hong Kong tourists in the August 23 tragedy. She said the conclusion is based on the accounts of three survivors who witnessed the hostage crisis until it reached its bloody end. Asked whether it can already be concluded that Mendoza killed the hostages, De Lima replied: "Yes." "The accounts of the three survivors who were there are substantial enough... Even the autopsy reports from the Hong Kong authorities (indicate Mendoza's firearm killed the survivors)," she said. Last week, De Lima spoke about the possibility that not all eight tourists were killed by Mendoza. "There is always a possibility," De Lima said then when asked if some of the hostages may have been killed by friendly fire. "We should not miss that. If that is the case then we should never miss that. Otherwise our report will be less than thorough given these discrepancies now," she added.

The IIRC has recently concluded a five-day marathon hearing where key personalities involved in the crisis gave their accounts. The IIRC report, based on testimonies and forensic results, will be submitted by the inter-agency panel to the president on Friday. The report is "95 percent" complete, said De Lima, adding that its parts will include the following: recitation of facts, evaluation of facts, identifying who is accountable, and the recommendations. De Lima also said the report will contain a "limitations" part to indicate which sections are not yet complete, such as the ballistics examination. Despite these, De Lima said these limitations will not affect the thoroughness of the report. "There were a few bullet holes that were unaccounted for. There is a portion called the 'Limitations of the Report.' We are not going to profess complete knowledge. We don't have the answers to all the questions, but we definitely have the answers to most of the questions, especially the key and the vital ones," said De Lima. Ballistics report De Lima had earlier said the ballistics report of the PNP will be completed two weeks from now because the country does not have the facilities to conduct a swift and comprehensive report. However, she said the essential parts of the ballistics tests are included in the IIRC report because only "bullet fragements" are still being tested. The IIRC will also include a report prepared by the Hong Kong authorities. – VVP, GMANews.TV