A hostage siege in the Philippines specifically Quirino grandstand has ended. Rolando Mendoza a former disgruntled policeman took hostage of nearly two dozen people, foreigners and Filipinos inside a bus. The hostage crisis started 10 am August 23 and negotiations took almost 10 hours before the crisis ended. Mendoza, a disgraced senior police inspector was ousted from his position after being caught in a scandal wherein he made a suspect consume shabu and alleged extorted the suspect. Mendoza’s reason for the hostage taking was to be reinstated again as a police officer.
Although the media tried to help by giving updates and news to citizens of the Philippines, some commented at the lack of sense of some mediamen and mediawomen and bystanders by encumbering the police force and SWAT trying to control the surroundings. In fact the media played a role in the flare ups as Mendoza maintained contact with Radio Mindanao Network. He released a statement via the radio station:
“I can see a lot of SWAT (special weapons and tactics police) coming in. I know they will kill me. They should all leave because anytime I will do the same here.”
Before the police assault started, the 55 year old ex policeman armed with an M-16 rifle had shot two of the hostages, Chinese tourists. With the souring of the negotiations, police finally acted by popping the tires and breaking the windows however Mendoza fended off the attacks until a sniper fire killed him. Reports say that two hostages had died but other reports say that a total of 6 died including hostage taker Rolando Mendoza.
UPDATE: Hong Kong just released a travel advisory informing tourists to go home immediately and tourists bound for Philippines to cancel their trips. Philippines has been listed “black” or severe threat and avoiding travel at all costs in their Outband Travel Alert.
UPDATES
- Rolando Mendoza Hostage Taker Game
- Events after the Rolando Mendoza Hostage Taking
- Photos of Rolando Mendoza Hostage Taking
- President Ninoy Aquino a.k.a. Noynoy smiling pictures during press conference inspection
- BBC UK Analysis of Rolando Mendoza Hostage Taking Incident
- Rolando Mendoza dead
- President Ninoy iphone game after hostage taking
Andriel, New Zealand
Mayor Lim and his Drug-Lord best friend are responsible on Hong Kong hostage-taking in Manila.
Why Mendoza choose Chinese (Hong Kong) to be his hostage? Why not Filipino? Why not American? Why not Korean? Because, Mayor Lim’s best friend is a Chinese and resides in Hong Kong. Of course, token is always there, we’re talking about Million of Million of pesos… If you are government employee, you can never be a millionaire with your 20K to 40K monthly salaries, unless you are a businessman. Well! Drugs are a good business.
Mendoza was set-up by Mayor Lim. He was hunted and accused that he is involved with drugs.
Better ask Mayor Lim…
You don’t know who you can trust… Philippine Government wake-up!