Ombudsman to be invited to hostage tragedy probe

The committee investigating the August 23 Manila hostage tragedy will invite Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez to answer clarificatory questions on the hostage-taking incident last week which left eight Hong Kong tourists killed, Justice Secretary Leila De Lima said Friday. "We can send her [Gutierrez] an invitation," said De Lima, head of the Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC) during the first day of the inquiry on the incident. It was not clear, however, when the invitation will be issued. De Lima made the announcement after Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay,who is on leave as chief of the Manila Police District, testified during the first day of the inquiry that he was coordinating with the Office of the Ombudsman during the hostage crisis. Magtibay said he even called up Overall Deputy Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro during the incident to find out if the Office of the Ombudsman can release its decision on hostage taker Rolando Mendoza’s motion for reconsideration on his dismissal from duty. He added that Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno was even sent directly to the Office of the Ombudsman in Quezon City to find out if it is possible to grant Medoza's demand to be reinstated pending resolution of his case. The Ombudsman instead came out with a letter assuring review of his case in 10 days, which, according to Magtibay, "changed the texture" of the negotiations. "It occurred to us that the crisis cannot be solved peacefully when (Police Superintendent Orlando) Yebra reported that the hostage taker was agitated by the letter of the Ombudsman, coupled by his brother encouraging the hostage taker not to agree (with what the negotiators said)," Magtibay said during the inquiry. Integrated Bar of the Philippines governor for Eastern Mindanao Roan Libarios, one of the members of the review committee, then suggested that Gutierrez be invited to the proceedings. De Lima said Gutierrez will have to be invited, since the driver of the ill-fated bus held hostage by Mendoza, Alberto Lubang, also said in his sworn statement that Mendoza was able to talk with officials from the Office of the Ombudsman over the phone during the hostage crisis. It was earlier announced that the panel would be conducting marathon hearings on Friday, Saturday and Monday next week. — RSJ, GMANews.TV