No record of first aid on hostages, PNP official tells HK court

There was no record of first aid being administered to the fatalities in the August 23, 2010 Manila hostage tragedy, a Philippine police officer told a Hong Kong court Friday. Superintendent Rubygrace Sabino-Diangson said it would have been standard procedure for medical staff who boarded the bus to check for vital signs. Diangson and her colleagues had performed post-mortem examinations on the hostages who were killed in the incident. Eight Hong Kong tourists were killed in the midst of the botched police rescue attempt, with hostage-taker dismissed Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza being eventually killed as well by police sniper fire. "Questioned by lawyers via a video-link from Manila, the woman superintendent said there was no record of any first-aid treatment having been applied to the deceased, nor did she know if any of them were still alive when they were found, although she admitted it would have been a standard procedure for medical staff who boarded the bus to check an injured person's vital signs," a Radio Television Hong Kong report Saturday said. While lawyers cited evidence from a survivor that at least one ambulance did not even have bandages, Diangson maintained all the ambulances should have had basic medical equipment on board. Ambulances deployed to the scene came from different government departments, as well as other private institutions that volunteered to help, she added. Diangson apologized to the Hong Kong Coroner's Court for not appearing to give evidence as earlier scheduled last Tuesday, saying that she said she and her four colleagues could not testify then as they could not get in time the legal advice they needed. She assured the court, however, that she is committed to giving her full support to the Hong Kong probe. On Wednesday, SPO2 Gregorio Mendoza, brother of the slain hostage-taker testified before the Hong Kong Coroner's Court, also through a video conference link. (See: Hostage-taker's bro testifies before HK court via video link) However, several witnesses failed to show up at the inquest, including officers from the National Bureau of Investigation and five Philippine policemen. (See: NBI agents also no show at Hong Kong inquest) An earlier RTHK report said that if none of the witnesses would be available by Friday, the Coroner’s Court would allow lawyers representing various parties at the inquest to begin their final submissions. Lawyers for interested parties are expected to make their final submissions on Monday, according to the RTHK report posted Saturday.—With Carmela G. Lapeña/JV, GMA News