MPD cops get slap on wrist over hostage crisis

Even for the apparent lapses committed during the hostage crisis that gripped Manila two weeks ago, the city’s top police officials are getting a mere slap on the wrist.

Manila Police District director Senior Superintendent Danilo Abarzosa, MPD Station 5 commander Superintendent Rogelio Rosales and precinct commander Chief Inspector Bernardo Cubacub will be "admonished" for the lapses they committed during the 10-hour hostage crisis last March 28.

Deputy Director General Avelino Razon Jr., deputy chief for administration of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said the three MPD police officials will not be relieved from their post or face any administrative charges over the incident.

"They will just be admonished for failure to control the crowd and improper handling of the media and for lack of communication between the Crisis Management Committee and the ground commander," Razon told the weekly forum Talakayan sa Isyu ng Pulis (TSIP) yesterday.

Razon said the three police officials had failed to prevent the hostage takers from dictating the tempo of the negotiations.

Razon cited the failure of the three police officers to prevent Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. and Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson from getting into the bus in the effort to secure the liberty of the children and the four teachers taken hostage.

School owner Armando Ducat Jr. and his companion Cesar Augustus Carbonnel held 26 children and four teachers hostage in a 10-hour drama that caught international attention.

Razon said the three officers should have prevented Revilla and Singson from participating in the negotiations as called for by the PNP operational procedures for hostage situations.

The police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) earlier recommended the filing of administrative charges against the MPD police officers who took part in the negotiations and crowd control during the hostage drama for failure to implement the required police operation procedure.

Razon said the recommendation was part of the initial report submitted by the CIDG investigating the lapses committed during the hostage crisis.

CIDG-National Capital Region chief Senior Superintendent Joel Coronel said there were apparent lapses in crowd control and the media coverage of the incident.

Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno noted the media and some relatives of the hostages managed to move closer to the bus which triggered a more tense situation.

Puno immediately ordered the relief of the three MPD officials for failure to control the crowd but the order was deferred pending investigation by the CIDG.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Varilla said he will ask his counterpart from the US to train the local police in the proper handling of hostage situations.

"We should set aside our pride. I personally would want to undergo such training, even if it means somebody lower in rank teaching me," he said.

The MPD, for its part, began its five-day training seminar on hostage situations yesterday.

PNP chief Director General Oscar Calderon sent a message through Deputy Director General Antonio Billones, stating the intention of the seminar.

Billones said the PNP chief wanted every policeman in the country properly trained to handle hostage situations.

"This training and seminar will not make you an overnight expert in hostage negotiations but it will enlighten everyone on what to do and what not to do when such situation comes," Billones said, reading the message of Calderon. – With Nestor Etolle