De Lima: Hostage probe report 85% complete

Despite its failure to meet the deadline, the Incident Investigation and Review Committee inquiring into the August 23 hostage tragedy is well on its way to completing its "exhaustive and fact-intensive" report, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said. "We cannot force it (the submission) today. Last night, we still had some deliberations on some aspects of the draft. We are polishing the portions. Today and tomorrow namin talagang tatapusin so we can submit on Friday," De Lima told reporters on Wednesday. The IIRC earlier imposed on itself a Wednesday deadline for submitted its report about the August 23 hostage incident, wherein eight Hong Kong tourists were killed, along with the hostage-taker, Rolando Mendoza, a dismissed senior police inspector. "Eighty-five percent complete na. It's very exhaustive and fact-intensive. We were able to complete the facts. The accounts are very detailed," De Lima said. However, she explained that the inter-agency panel is still polishing the report which will contain the following: the evaluation of the facts, conclusions, determining the accountability of the personalities and institutions involved in the hostage crisis, and recommendations. Partial ballistics results De Lima said the report will only contain a partial ballistics report because the Philippine National Police is expected to submit a full report two weeks from now. She earlier admitted that Philippine investigators do not have updated and adequate facilities to fast-track the ballistics examination. "(Ballistics tests) are a very tedious process," De Lima said. However, she clarified the "incompleteness" of the ballistics report will not not prevent the IIRC from submitting the report. On Monday, De Lima said it was Mendoza's firearm that could have killed the hostages. Citing the testimonies of the survivors, De Lima said Mendoza began his shooting rampage before the police launched their assault. (See: Mendoza may have killed hostages ‘in all likelihood’ — De Lima) Still, the IIRC has not yet ruled out the possibility that friendly fire may have caused the death of some of the hostages. She said the five-member IIRC will meet again on Wednesday evening for its internal deliberations. President Benigno Simeon Aquino III had agreed to receive the report on Friday. A copy of the report will also be presented to Chinese authorities by the Philippine delegation led by Vice President Jejomar Binay. On August 23, Mendoza, hijacked a bus in Manila carrying 21 Hong Kong tourists and four Filipinos. Eight tourists were killed after an 11-hour standoff. Mendoza was killed by responding Manila policemen. The government has since received flak for its handling of the hostage crisis at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila. — RSJ/LBG/VVP, GMANews.TV