Former NCRPO chief appeals to China to share hostage-taking guidelines

Former National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Leocadio Santiago on Friday appealed to China and Hong Kong to share with the Philippines their guidelines in handling hostage-taking incidents. Santiago was one of the police officials whom President Benigno Simeon Aquino III ordered administratively charged for his role in the alleged mishandling of the August 23 hostage crisis in Manila. On October 11, Aquino ordered the "filing of appropriate charges against Police Director Leocadio Santiago Jr. for less grave neglect of duty (under Sec. 2, Rule 21 of the PNP Uniform Rules)." Santiago will be transferred to the Project Management Office of the Philippine National Police in Camp Crame, Quezon City. In his farewell speech at the NCRPO headquarters in Taguig City on Friday, Santiago said the Philippines could learn a lesson or two from the "protocols" used by China and its special administrative region, Hong Kong, when handling hostage crises. According to a radio dzBB report, Santiago said the Philippine government can compare its protocols with those of other countries, especially after Filipino policemen were widely criticized for the way they handled the August 23 hostage drama. On that day, dismissed senior police inspector Rolando Mendoza hijacked a bus carrying 21 Hong Kong tourists and four Filipinos. Mendoza was demanding for his reinstatement and the dismissal of a pending case against him in the Office of the Ombudsman. At the end of an 11-hour standoff, Mendoza and eight Hong Kong tourists were killed. Police and government authorities were widely criticized for the failure of the Special Weapons Actions Team (SWAT) to rescue the victims without bloodshed. A copy of the 82-page report of the multi-agency Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC) was sent to Chinese embassy in September. The IIRC report recommended administrative or criminal sanctions against Santiago and the following: * Undersecretary Rico Puno of the Department of Interior and Local Government; * Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez; * Former Philippine National Police Chief Director General Jesus Verzosa; * Former Manila Police District (MPD) Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay; * Manila City Mayor Alfredo Lim and Vice Mayor Isko Moreno; * Negotiator, Superintendent Orlando Yebra; * Manila Police Special Weapons and Tactics Unit head Chief Inspector Santiago Pascual; * Erwin Tulfo and Michael Rogas, from Radyo Mo Nationwide However, Hong Kong expressed disappointment upon learning that Aquino "downgraded" the recommendations in the IIRC report. At least six people will be charged with administrative cases, including Santiago, while the hostage-taker's brother, SPO2 Gregorio Mendoza, will be charged with serious illegal detention and illegal possession of firearms. No hard feelings Santiago said he does not have any hard feelings for the PNP for transferring him to another post. The law bars the holding of ranking police officials in "floating status." Due to the election ban on appintments, the PNP has yet to secure a permission from the Commission on Election before it could give the new post to Santiago. He said he was prepared to defend himself once the National Police Commission starts its investigation on their alleged neglect of duty. Santiago will be replaced by Calabarzon regional police director Chief Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome. Bartolome, in turn, will be replaced by Western Visayas regional police director Chief Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao. In his assumption speech on Friday, Bartolome vowed to intensify police visibility in Metro Manila. He added that his leadership will be focused on ensuring that warrants of arrest are immediately issued against suspected criminals. –VVP, GMANews.TV