Retired general who led talks in 2 hostage-takings dies

MANILA, Philippines — A former police official who led negotiations in two high-profile hostage taking incidents died yesterday.

The Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) Alumni Association Inc. announced the passing of retired Brig. Gen. Orlando Yebra Jr. He was 57.

No details were available on the cause of his death. Yebra’s family has yet to announce details of his wake.

Yebra, a graduate of the PNPA Tagapagpatupad Class of 1992, was the lead negotiator in two hostage incidents, the first of which was the Manila hostage crisis in August 2010 wherein a disgruntled police officer, Rolando Mendoza, hijacked a tourist bus that was carrying tourists from Hong Kong.

Yebra, who was then a lieutenant colonel, was among the officials investigated after Mendoza went on a shooting rampage in the bus after negotiations bogged down, killing eight tourists.

Mendoza was killed by a police sniper.

Yebra was again thrust into the spotlight after he was designated as the negotiator when a security guard held hostage at least 30 people at the V Mall in Greenhills, San Juan in March 2020.

He redeemed himself as the hostage crisis ended peacefully and without casualties.

The hostage-taker, Alchie Paray, was subdued by police.

Yebra retired from the service as the director of the Eastern Police District, which is in charge of security in the cities of Pasig, Mandaluyong, Marikina and San Juan.