Lawmaker seeks probe of Quezon hostage bus drama

Catanauan, Quezon, Philippines  – Quezon fourth district Rep. and human rights lawyer Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada yesterday said the Commission on Human Rights has to investigate the hostage drama inside a provincial bus in this province last Wednesday.

The hostage crisis, which killed four civilians, ensued after suspected New People’s Army rebels were spotted by policemen inside the vehicle.

“The passengers in the RR provincial bus would be able to state whether the armed men were robbers or rebels. It should also be determined if the security forces were aware of the civilians on board. At this time, it would be hard to comment without getting all the details because of conflicting reports,” Tañada said.

The Southern Luzon Command has also formed a committee that would investigate who were responsible for the death of the four civilians and the wounding of another.

Col. Generoso Bolina, Solcom spokesman, said the panel will pinpoint who is responsible for the death of four civilians and the wounding of another.  

Meanwhile, the Quezon chapter of Karapatan, an alliance of human rights groups, denounced the Armed Forces for the alleged brutal killing of the four civilians.

Around 1:50 p.m. last Wednesday, policemen in San Francisco, Quezon were conducting a checkpoint when they spotted some suspected communist rebels on board the RR provincial bus (203588) and subsequently opened fire on them.

 The alleged rebels initially directed the bus driver to maneuver the vehicle in order to escape the pursuing government forces but later held hostage the passengers.

Combined elements of the police and the military then chased the passenger bus for about an hour until they reached the town of Cata­nauan where a V-150 light tank was positioned by the 74th Infantry Battalion to block the road.

The rebels together with some hostages tried but failed to pass through the military blockade.

A firefight then ensued, resulting in the death of four civilians.