Ombudsman, deputy refuse to appear before hostage probers

Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez and Deputy Ombudsman Emilio Gonzalez III on Monday refused to appear before the Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC) probing the August 23 hostage tragedy. During the IIRC's proceedings on Monday, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, committee chairperson, said the two officials sent letters of regret. "They are citing the independence of the office. So basically, they are saying that to avoid any prejudgment on the issue and preserve the impartiality of the office in case a case will be brought to the Ombudsman in the future," De Lima said. On August 23, Rolando Mendoza, a dismissed senior police inspector, hijacked a tourist bus carrying 21 Hong Kong tourists and four Filipinos. He demanded his reinstatement and the dismissal of a pending case against him at the Office of the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman later sent a letter saying Mendoza's case will be reviewed. However, the hostage-taker said the letter was 'trash." Gonzalez, meanwhile, was linked to rumors that he asked for a P150,000 extortion money from Mendoza to expedite the resolution of his case. The deputy Ombudsman, however, denied making such demand. De Lima said that even though Gutierrez and Gonzalez have turned down the IIRC's invitiation, the committee will send them another invitation. "We decide that we will reiterate our invitation for the Ombudsman and the deputy Ombudsman to appear before us. So we are about to sign that (invitation) already and reply to their letters of regret," said De Lima. "We may not be able to compel them because we do not have coercive powers, but we feel it is our moral duty to remind them of their own moral duty to cooperate," said the Justice secretary. –VVP, GMANews.TV