Disaster, tragedy, shame

One week after the tragic hostage crisis at the Quirino Grandstand at Rizal Park, the entire country and the whole world are still talking about the disaster and the bloody ending which resulted in nine persons dead and eight hospitalized. 

Covered extensively by CNN, BBC, CNBC, Bloomberg and other international news organizations, the tragedy inflicted a big black mark on the fledgling Aquino government and raises serious questions on President Aquino’s leadership.

There has been worldwide disappointment and condemnation on the handling of the crisis by the Manila Police. The Commission on Human Rights is dismayed. Even Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim conceded to Bloomberg and DZMM that the situation was mishandled. NCRPO Director Leocadio Santiago and PNP spokesman Senior Supt. Agrimero Cruz admitted to errors and defects in the actions against hostage taker Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza.

Agence France Press (AFP) reports that Frederic Gallois, a hostage rescue expert, described the police assault as badly prepared and risky and showed tactical incompetence.

 BBC News cited UK security analyst Charles Shoebridge listing 10 things that the Manila police got wrong starting with a lack of “necessary determination and aggression to face the attacker”. Shoebridge noted that the SWAT personnel ran out of the bus when met by gunshots from Mendoza and that the TV coverage was a “crucial defect”.

Hongkong issued a travel ban, asked all Hongkong residents to leave the Philippines and flew its flags at half mast. Chief Executive Donald Tsang declared the way the hostage situation was handled was disappointing and asked the Philippine government to explain. Demonstrations against the Philippines have been mounted in the Crown Colony. Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Russia, Pakistan and Nepal also issued travel advisories.

After the anger and emotionalism, it is a good time to review what happened. Many questions remain unanswered. Among them:

1. Why did President Aquino not take immediate action early on by designating DILG Secretary Jessie Robredo or Executive Secretary Ochoa to be on the scene. Secretary Sonny Coloma kept saying it is a police matter and referred all inquiries to PNP officers on the ground;

2. Why did Sec. Robredo fail to show up on the hostage scene until evening? He admitted that when he decided to go to the Quirino Grandstand, it was too late.

3. Why was PNP Director General Jesus Verzosa or his Deputies nowhere to be seen during the hostage crisis as observed by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile?

4. Why did Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim order WPD Director Rodolfo Magtibay to arrest SPO2 Gerardo Mendoza, brother of the hostage taker? This caused him to go “ballistic” as confirmed by bus driver Alberto Lubang. So, was it actually Mayor Lim and not General Magtibay who was calling the shots?

5. Why did the SWAT teams fail to take down the hostage taker earlier? Why were they so incompetent as shown by their failure to open or take down the front door and windows of the bus? They didn’t even know of the emergency door at the back. Why no bullet proof vests and gas masks?

6. Why 11 hours to resolve the deadlock? Why not just give in immediately to Mendoza’s demands? Shoebridge observed: “A promise extracted under force is not a promise that you are required to honor. Nobody wants go give in to the demands of terrorists, but in a situation like this, which did not involve a terrorist group, or release of prisoners, they could have just accepted his demands. He could be reinstated in the police, and then be immediately put in prison for life for hostage-taking.”

7. Why was there no crowd control? A bystander was hit by a bullet.

8. Why no restrictions on the media coverage?

9. What was the position of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez?

10. What happened to the Malacañang announcement of compensation for the victims?

President Aquino ordered DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima and Sec. Robredo to investigate the tragic incident. Why Robredo? He is responsible. He will investigate himself? Robredo should inhibit himself. Even PNP Chief Verzosa is now investigating. He should also inhibit himself. An independent Commission should investigate the incident.

Robredo, Verzosa, Santiago and hostage negotiator Supt. Orlando Yebra should now tender their resignations and yield their positions while the investigation is ongoing. So far only Magtibay has been relieved of his post. This carnage is the ultimate proof of the incompetence of the PNP. That’s the truth.

 The bottom line is it was a bloody ending with 9 people dead and a big blackeye for the country. Some officials must be held responsible. In its first major crisis, the Aquino government failed miserably. That is also the truth.

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Retire Verzosa today. While the PNP rank and file are waiting for PNP Director General Jesus Verzosa to retire, the NPA is having a field day killing and wounding PNP officers.

Two weeks ago, the NPAs ambushed and killed Senior Inspector Nicasio San Antonio, Deputy Chief of Police of Catarman, Northern Samar and seven police officers. The rebels planted two landmines to stop the police vehicle.

The NPAs captured 7 handguns and 4 M-16 rifles, took their clothes, cellphones, watches and other personal belongings.

The next day, Police Inspector Christoper Mazo, the Chief of Police of Lianga, Surigao del Sur was also killed by NPAs.

One week ago, 30 NPA rebels killed 5 soldiers in an attack on their outpost in Veruela, Agusan del Sur. Last Thursday, gunmen killed 2 policemen and 2 civilians in Lanao del Norte.

There have been numerous ambushes perpetrated by NPAs in Compostela Valley, Davao Oriental, Davao City, Masbate, Catanduanes, Sorsogon and nearby Rizal, Quezon and Batangas.

It is customary for retiring Generals to slow down and take no risks within six months of retirement. The truth is that the present crime and insurgency situation is so bad, it is time to appoint a new PNP Chief — one who can instill discipline in the PNP and who will not tolerate torture as has been shown in the Asuncion, Tondo police precinct, and one who will not allow his wife to travel abroad with plenty of dollars.