Hostage survivor tells HK court of plan to snatch Rolando Mendoza's gun

A survivor of the hostage tragedy in Manila on August 23 last year narrated before a Hong Kong court on Wednesday about the captives' plan to snatch the firearm of Rolando Mendoza, the hostage-taker. According to a report of Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), survivor Lee Ying-chuen said she failed to carry out the plan along with tour leader Masa Tse and Ken Leung, another tourist. Masa Tse and Ken Leung were among the eight tourists killed along with Mendoza after an 11-hour standoff. Lee also recounted to the court that the hostage-taker promised to release his hostages at 3:00 p.m. that day but did not do so. Mendoza held hostage a bus with Hong Kong tourists hostage in Manila to demand for his reinstatement into the police force. Hong Kong is holding the hearings to determine if the hostages died at Mendoza's hands, or were killed by friendly fire during a botched rescue attempt. More than 100 Filipino witnesses were invited to testify at the hearing but most had declined the invitation. Earlier, the witnesses testified on possible lapses by Philippine police, who they said failed to interview the hostages who were released. The witnesses also testified Mendoza initially had no intention to hurt the hostages. – VVP, GMA News