Filtered By: Topstories
News

Robredo on hostage tragedy: Reforms more important than apology


Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo on Tuesday said instituting reforms was more important than giving an apology to the August 23, 2010 Manila hostage massacre victims and their families. "If you ask me po, an apology coming from us is mere words. The more important dimension of the incident is that we have shown... We realized, as I have said, this incident and we are taking actions," Robredo said during a Mass in Camp Crame for the victims. Robredo said giving an apology is not something that should be imposed on the government by anyone. The survivors and the relatives of the Hong Kong tourists killed in the incident earlier demanded four things from the Philippine government:

  • issuing a formal apology;
  • holding responsible authorities accountable;
  • giving a just compensation to the victims, and
  • improving tourism safety in the Philippines. Robredo said he understands the sentiments of the victims but said they should realize that Hong Kong "is not like the Philippines." "But come to think of it. If you take into consideration as to how quickly the cases are resolved for the cases that have been resolved already, it's faster than how we resolve other cases," Robredo emphasized, saying that there are other cases that have been suffering longer delays. Those killed in the August 23, 2010 hostage incident were eight Hong Kong tourists and the hostage-taker himself, suspended Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza. Mendoza commandeered a tourist bus to convince authorities to drop extortion charges against him and for his superiors to reinstate him into police service. Reforms in the PNP Robredo said the PNP has been instituting changes in the systems and processes. "Iyong mga gamit, ginagawan na po ng paraan para maisayos at kung mapapansin ninyo mas transparent na ang kapulisan ngayon. Iyong pera ibinaba na sa istasyon," he said. He also noted the PNP's efforts in deploying "tourist police" all over Metro Manila ever since the August 23 hostage crisis happened. As for tourists planning on visiting the Philippines, Robredo assured them that there had been "general improvement" in the situation in the country, even if the bad news usually get highlighted more. "Pero ang palagay ko po, kapag tiningnan mo yung mga sukat sa pangkalahatan we are better [than a year ago]," Robredo said, who took over the helm at the DILG shortly after President Benigno Aquino III took office on June 30, 2010. Robredo came under fire for not promptly responding to the hostage incident which was at a standoff for 11 hours. He later explained that he was not in charge of supervising the PNP but Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Rico Puno at the time. Robredo said during that period, he was instructed to focus on ridding Metro Manila of illegal settlers. - VVP, GMA News
  • LOADING CONTENT