De Lima questions timeline mix-up in hostage tragedy

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Tuesday raised seeming discrepancies in the timeline in the August 23 hostage crisis that left eight tourists from Hong Kong dead. On the fourth day of the Incident Investigation and Review Committee's proceedings, Alberto Lubang, driver of the ill-fated Hong Thai Travel tourist bus, said he picked up 24 people — 21 Hong Kong tourists, tour guide Diana Chan, and two Filipino photographers — at the Manila Pavillion at about 8 a.m. that day. They left the hotel at about 8:30 to 8:45 a.m. and reached Fort Santiago in Intramuros at about 9 a.m. At about 9:45 a.m. dismissed police Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza boarded the bus and commandeered it to the Quirino Grandstand.

Lubang said he told Mendoza that policemen are not allowed inside the bus, but Mendoza insisted on boarding the bus. On their way out of Intramuros, Mendoza announced he is taking hostage the bus' passengers. "Sabi ng photographer, 'Sir di po pwede ang pulis dito.' Sabi niya (Mendoza), 'Hindi sasabay lang ako.' Tapos umakyat na po sya, pagkatapos sinabi niya sarado mo yung pinto, then sabi nya iabante mo, tapos pagliko dun sa arko ng Intramuros. Sabi niya, 'Sorry hostage ko na kayo,'" Lubang said. De Lima said Lubang's recounting of the first minutes of the hostage-taking was similar to what was written on the sworn affidavit of Diana Chan, the tour guide of the Hong Kong tourists, and the testimony of Lourdes Amansec, assistant general manager of Directions Travel agency which is a partner of Hong Thai Travel. Is it 9:45 or 9:07? However, De Lima pointed out that the joint affidavits of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team members and snipers who were deployed during the hostage-taking said that they received the report of the incident at about 9:07 a.m. and that they went to the grandstand at about 9:15 a.m. "Nag-tugma iyong mga oras ninyo ni Diana. Sabi ni Lourdes kahapon is more or less, 10 (a.m.) na niya nireport (ang hostage-taking) at hindi pa nga naniwala ang pulis," De Lima told Lubang. "Malaking diperensiya po iyong oras na sinasabi ninyo at ng mga SWAT, na as early as 9:07 (nakuha na nila ang report). Pero 9:45 lang kayo naka-alis ng Fort Santiago. Paano nangyari iyon. If totoo ang sinasabi ninyo, ano ang ginagawa ng SWAT sa Quirino Grandstand?" De Lima also asked. De Lima also cited portions of the affidavit of the Laguardio Security Agency, which manages the security guards at an establishment at the Fort Santiago. Based on the security agency's affidavit, De Lima said that at "a few minutes" before 9:45, the security guards saw a man wearing a police uniform and a bullcap alight from a blue sedan. The man carried a firearm and a blue backpack. It is perceived that this man was Mendoza, who was brought by his friend named "Rose" to the the Fort Santiago. "As reported by the guards, 9:30 (a.m.) pa lamang dumating si Mendoza. So nagkakatugma-tugma talaga (sa testimony mo) and kay Diana Chan. Ibang-iba dun sa SWAT. How can be there a hostage-taking at 9:07 (as reported by the SWAT) kung 9:30 pa lamang (dumating si Mendoza sa Fort Santiago?" asked De Lima. After raising the apparent mix-up, De Lima said the review committee will discuss with Lubang more details in an executive session, which is ongoing as of posting time. — RSJ/KBK, GMANews.TV