Broadcaster and compadre offered to talk to Mendoza

TV5 reporter Erwin Tulfo and one other non-negotiator had asked to be allowed to talk to hostage-taker Rolando Mendoza during the August 23 hostage crisis in Manila, despite police procedures that restrict contact with hostage-takers. During the second-day hearing of the Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC), Salvador told investigators that Tulfo and another man who described himself as Mendoza's compadre had also tried to personally speak with the hostage-taker during the crisis. The two are in addition to Mendoza's brother Gregorio, also a policeman, who tried to play a role in the negotiation until the authorities decided to forcibly remove him from the area. Salvador said that two hours into the hostage crisis or around noontime, a man who identified himself as “Roberto Agoho" approached him and asked that he be allowed near the Hong Thai bus where Mendoza was holding hostage a number of Hong Kong tourists. "He said he is a compadre and an adviser of Mendoza. He asked to be allowed to talk with Mendoza but he was denied entry," Salvador said. Salvador, who was among the two official negotiators, cited police procedures barring anyone who is not a member of the negotiating panel from getting near or communicating with the hostage-taker. National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) officials said they tried to contact Agoho but have not yet reached him. At half past noon that day, Salvador said Mendoza started demanding that he be allowed to talk with a reporter, after hearing from the radio inside the bus that the media had begun digging up his background. "Sabi niya sa amin, sinisiraan daw siya sa radyo [He told us he was being bad-mouthed on the radio]," Salvador recounted Mendoza as telling the negotiators before he asked to talk with a woman reporter. The two authorized negotiators — Salvador and lead negotiator Superintendent Orlando Yebra — relayed Mendoza’s demand to higher authorities. Shortly after, Salvador said he saw TV5 reporter Tulfo arrive at the command post with a cameraman. Tulfo then "volunteered" to grant Mendoza an interview. Asked by the IIRC how Tulfo knew about Mendoza's wish to speak to a reporter, Salvador said he did not know. The negotiators did not grant Tulfo's request, stressing that Mendoza had specifically requested a female reporter. The crisis committee eventually decided to bring in a female reporter, but only if she would interview Mendoza from outside the bus through the door. Mendoza did not agree, insisting that the interview be made inside the bus. The interview sought by Mendoza never pushed through. Unlike Agoho and Tulfo, Mendoza's brother, Gregorio, was able to approach his brother and talk to him with negotiators around. Some analysts have pointed to this move, of allowing Gregorio’s continued presence at the hostage site, as a critical misstep that later pushed the police to arrest him, which in turn added to Mendoza’s agitation and eventually leading to a shootout with police assault teams. Mendoza and eight Hong Kong tourists were killed at the close of the 11-hour bus hostage drama.— JV, GMANews.TV