IIRC invites PNP top execs for second phase of hostage probe

By SOPHIA DEDACE, GMANews.TV

Published January 6, 2011 1:52pm

The Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC), the body that looked into the August 23, 2010 hostage tragedy in Manila, has invited at least five ranking Philippine National Police officials for the second phase of its inquiry. The second phase involves the institutional and procedural review of government bodies that could be culpable for the hostage tragedy, where eight Hong Kong nationals were killed. The hostage-taker, dismissed policeman Rolando Mendoza, was also killed after the botched attempt to rescue the victims. The IIRC head, Justice Sec. Leila de Lima issued separate notices on January 4 inviting the following:

Deputy Director General Benjamin Belarmino, PNP Deputy Chief for Operations;

Director Rey Lanada, PNP Director for Comptrollership;

Director Josefino Cataluna, PNP Director for Operations;

Director George Piano, PNP Director for Logistics; and

Chief Superintendent Herold Ubalde, PNP Director for Legal Service. The IIRC is set to conduct the proceedings for the second phase from Tuesday to Thursday next week. On August 23 last year, Mendoza took a bus with Hong Kong tourists. After an 11-hour standoff at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila, Mendoza began his shooting rampage and killed eight of his hostages. The Manila police's deficiencies in training and equipment were widely blamed for the tragic outcome. In September last year, the IIRC conducted marathon hearings to determine the events surrounding the tragedy and the personalities who should be held responsible for the incident. The committee recommended the filing of administrative and criminal charges against a dozen personalities, including then PNP chief Jesus Verzosa, Interior Undersecretary Rico Puno, and Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim. However, MalacaÃ±ang reviewed the IIRC's report, where only the hostage-taker's brother, SPO2 Gregorio Mendoza, was recommended to face criminal charges. â€“ VVP, GMANews.TV

Tags: iirc, philippinenationalpolice, manilahostagecrisis