PNP better at handling hostage situations now, says chief

If the Thursday hostage-taking incident in Cavite is any indication, the Philippine National Police (PNP) is now more than capable of handling similar situations, according to PNP chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome. In a Friday interview on GMA News TV’s “News to Go," Bartolome spoke to host Howie Severino about how the PNP handled the hostage-taking of Masuerte Rural Bank in Bacoor, Cavite.

"When [the hostage taking in Cavite] happened, I was in constant touch with the President," said Bartolome. According to Bartolome, local police were at the site less than five minutes after the incident was first reported by bystanders. Hours after holding five bank employees and three depositors hostage, the hostage-takers peacefully surrendered to authorities after negotiations. Bartolome also commended the efforts of Superintendent Rodrigo Maranan, who headed the negotiations. Although much smaller in scale, the Thursday incident in Cavite is being compared to the Aug. 23, 2010 hostage tragedy, which claimed the lives of eight tourists from Hong Kong and the hostage-taker himself, Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza. The PNP and Malacañang have both assured the public that reforms have since been put in place a year after the tragedy. During Thursday's hostage-taking, Bartolome said the SWAT Special Action Force and Crisis Response Group were on stand-by at the site just in case things turned sour. Bartolome also added that they are still checking the media coverage of the hostage crisis. "May mga pagkakataon pa rin na mukhang may nakaka-contact sa radio station. Pinapa-check ko ngayon kasi parang meron communication yata na may nagsasalita raw. Hindi pa sigurado kung nasa loob yun or bystander ba yun," he said. Otherwise, Bartolome said the police were able to set a proper area for media to report from. Following the Quirino Grandstand crisis last year, the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas fined two major television networks and one radio network for airing information that could have compromised the police’s efforts to rescue the hostages. Malacañang, meanwhile, praised the PNP’s performance during the Cavite hostage-taking situation, according to a report on GMA News TV. — with Be Cupin/RSJ, GMA News