MPD chief: I was not convinced hostages' lives were at risk

Under heavy criticism for the way his men flubbed the hostage crisis last week, Manila Police District head Rodolfo Magtibay on Friday admitted he had no inkling the hostage-taking would come to a bloody end. Speaking before the investigative committee looking into his police district's bungled rescue attempt, Magtibay said he thought the failure to contact hostage-taker Rolando Mendoza could have been the result of an equipment breakdown. "I am not fully convinced that the lives of the hostages are at risk, because failure of contact the hostage-taker may mean a breakdown of the equipment and not the hostility being displayed by the hostage-taker," said Magtibay, the ground commander at the time of the crisis. He asked to take a leave of absence following the incident. At the height of the hostage crisis, Mendoza was found to have been speaking with Radyo Mo Ngayon anchor Michael Rogas. Mendoza threatened to kill the hostages of the police do not release his brother, SPO2 Gregorio Mendoza. It is believed that Mendoza's anger was stoked when he saw a live broadcast of his brother being arrested at a nearby police community precinct.—Sophia Dedace/JV, GMANews.TV