10 to be held accountable for Philippines bus hijack
September 17th, 2010 - 2:55 pm ICT by ANIManila, Sept.17 (ANI): At least ten civilian and police officials will be held accountable for mishandling a bus hijacking that left eight Hong Kong tourists dead here last month.
Last week, Philippines Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said police might have shot some of the hostages during their much-criticized rescue bid.
However, at a press conference on Thursday, Sky News quoted her as saying that survivor accounts showed that the victims had in fact been shot by the hostage-taker’s assault rifle.
On August 23, sacked Manila policeman Rolando Mendoza seized a tourist bus in a desperate bid to get his job back and clear himself of extortion charges.
The daylong standoff ended in a bloodbath that was shown live on television channels across the world when police stormed the bus after negotiations failed and Mendoza began shooting.
Eight hostages were killed, while seven others were wounded, triggering public outrage in Hong Kong, which demanded a thorough and impartial investigation.
Ms de Lima said: “The accounts of three survivors, who were on the bus up to the end, are substantial enough. The autopsy reports of Hong Kong authorities are really much more clear and helpful.”
She said an investigating panel had singled out 10 civilian and police officials and a report would be submitted to the country’s President Benigno Aquino on Friday. (ANI)
- Philippine police admit shortcomings in bloody hostage-taking - Aug 24, 2010
- Some Philippines bus hostages may have been shot dead by "friendly fire" - Sep 10, 2010
- Eight Chinese, gunman killed in Philippines hostage drama (Second Roundup) - Aug 24, 2010
- Victims of the Manila bus hijack incident still grapple with the tragedy that killed 8 people - Aug 26, 2010
- Six Chinese survive Philippine hostage crisis (Fourth Lead) - Aug 23, 2010
- Dismissed cop seizes tourist bus in Philippines - Aug 23, 2010
- Seven dead as Philippine hostage crisis ends (Roundup) - Aug 23, 2010
- Violence erupts in Philippine hostage-taking (Second lead) - Aug 23, 2010
- Four police officers sacked over bungled hostage rescue - Aug 25, 2010
- Death toll in Manila hostage crisis rises to 10 - Aug 24, 2010
- Dismissed police officer seizes tourist bus in Philippines (Lead) - Aug 23, 2010
- Former Filipino cop hijacks bus, nine tourists released - Aug 23, 2010
- Seven hostages, gunman dead after Manila bus siege - Aug 23, 2010
- Philippines Hostage Coffin Mix Up Happened At Manila Funeral Parlor, Says Government Spokesman - Sep 03, 2010
- Philippine commandos shoot dead Manila hostage taker - Aug 23, 2010
Tags: assault rifle, autopsy reports, benigno aquino, bloodbath, bus hijacking, extortion charges, hong kong authorities, hostage taker, hostages, impartial investigation, leila, mendoza, police officials, public outrage, rolando, sky news, standoff, survivor accounts, television channels, tourist bus