Tourist bus commandeered by hostage taker to be preserved

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine National Police announced yesterday that the tourist bus commandeered by a dismissed policeman in the hostage crisis last Monday in Manila would be preserved in an air-conditioned area with closed circuit television cameras (CCTV) to help in the “US air crash-type investigation.”

“The final resting place of the bus will be in an enclosed place, which will be secured. CCTV (units) will be installed inside and outside the bus so that from time to time we can give updates to the public or the proper authorities,” said Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr., PNP spokesman.

Cruz said the Hong Thai tourist bus would be stored at the Logistic Supply Service compound at Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig.

Manila Police District director Chief Superintendent Rodrigo Magtibay went on leave while four officers of the MPD Special Weapons and Tactics unit were relieved after mishandling the hostage crisis and assault on the Hong Thai tourist bus where dismissed police Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza held hostage the Hong Kong tourists.

Mendoza, who was dismissed from the police force last year for extortion, commandeered the tourist bus in Intramuros and held hostage 21 Hong Kong tourists and four Filipino guides for several hours in front of the Quirino Grandstand at Rizal Park in Manila.

The suspect, armed with an M16 rifle and a pistol, had released several hostages before the SWAT team assaulted the bus. The hostage taker and eight tourists were killed.

Cruz said that at any given time, investigators and even foreign investigators could come and look at the bus from the CCTV cameras and if they are going to come inside they will have to ask permission from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

He said foreign and local investigators would have to wear appropriate clothing so that all evidences will be preserved, including blood.

“So we are going to put air-conditioning to preserve all of these things even if it takes a year or two we are going to sustain the investigation,” said Cruz. “We learn that air crash investigations abroad take several months up to a year or several years and the PNP is willing to do this to ensure that the investigation will be conducted in a professional manner.”

Observers, however, said the plan to park the bus in an enclosed and air-conditioned room would be expensive and the PNP could hardly provide service firearms, gas mask, bulletproof vests and other basic equipment to policemen.

“The bus was not the issue but the way police handled the hostage taking situation, why would the PNP spend money to preserve it,” asked an observer.