Aquino to face news anchors regarding hostage tragedy

In what is expected to be his most comprehensive discussion on the hostage tragedy, President Benigno Aquino III will face news anchors of three of the country’s biggest broadcast networks on Thursday for a “no-holds-barred" interview regarding the August 23 hostage tragedy in Manila. The one-on-three encounter is highly unusual for a president. According to a Palace source, the idea came from Aquino himself. In nine years in power, ex-President Gloria Arroyo only faced journalists one-on-one, and rarely at that, or in larger groups. Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda on Wednesday told Palace reporters that the panel of journalists from GMA Network, ABS-CBN, and TV 5 would zero in on what Aquino was doing during the 11-hour hostage crisis. Lacierda said they expect either Mike Enriquez or Mel Tiangco from GMA Network, Ted Failon from ABS-CBN, and Paolo Bediones from TV 5 to compose the panel. GMA Network later confirmed that it will be Tiangco. Only the hostage crisis will be discussed during the one-and-a-half hour interview, the Palace spokesman said. The interview will be held at the President's Studio in Malacañang from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Eight Chinese tourists from Hong Kong were killed in the hostage tragedy that was largely blamed on the incompetent handling by the Aquino government. Aquino himself was criticized for not giving a statement while negotiations were ongoing between policemen and hostage-taker Rolando Mendoza, who was later killed in an assault. Mendoza was a dismissed policeman demanding his reinstatement to the police force. Palace spokesmen said Aquino was busy monitoring the situation and getting information from Department of Interior and Local Government and police officials at Emerald restaurant in Manila before he made his official statement and answered reporters’ questions at a press briefing in the wee hours of August 24. Aquino has already taken responsibility for the tragedy, which created tension between China and the Philippines. An inter-agency investigative panel — the Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC) — has been formed to look into the incident. — Jam L. Sisante/KBK/RSJ/HS, GMANews.TV