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Police: Giving in to hostage-taker's demand 'illegal'


Officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Thursday it was illegal to give in to the demand of dismissed police Chief Inspector Rolando Mendoza, who took 21 Hong Kong tourists and four Filipinos hostage on Monday. In a Senate inquiry on the 11-hour hostage crisis in Manila on August 23, the police also said giving in to the hostage-taker's demand could encourage others to resort to hostage-taking too in airing their grievances. Sen. Pia Cayetano asked the police why they did not just "promise" to grant the hostage-taker's demands, just to prevent the death of eight Hong Kong tourists. Cayetano said the authorities do not necessarily have to "execute" that promise. Among Mendoza's demands was his reinstatement to the PNP after he was dismissed for robbery and extortion charges, among others. "Couldn't you have just prepared a fake paper saying he is re-instated and then arrest him. It doesn't mean that you have to execute what's written in that paper," Cayetano asked. Negotiator couldn't promise anything Manila Police District head Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay said ideally, a negotiator should not promise anything to a hostage-taker. "A negotiator couldn't promise anything. He can deviate a bit. He can play a little but not promise anything because it can open the gates for anybody to do the same thing," Magtibay said. Chief Superintendent Herold Ubalde, PNP director for legal services, stressed that the PNP could not easily bring any dismissed officer back to the service, especially because Mendoza's demands had "legal implications." Mendoza was not pleased with the Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez's letter saying she would personally review the dismissed police official's case. Ubalde said Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, who led the crisis management committee, approached him to consult Mendoza's demand about being reinstated, hoping it would "calm him down." "I told the mayor, 'We may be facing some sanctions before the Ombudsman. I am telling them this is something illegal," Ubalde said. "We made a letter wherein it was now decided that the implementation of his dissmissal is now suspended pending the review of his case," Magtibay said. However, even before the letter could reach Mendoza, the hostage-taker's mood allegedly had already changed and he began opening fire. The Manila police then reportedly began their assault, leading to Mendoza's death. –VVP, GMANews.TV

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