3 incidents that agitated Mendoza

Posted at 08/31/2010 1:52 AM | Updated as of 08/31/2010 2:16 AM

MANILA, Philippines - It was already six in the evening of August 23 when the public first heard the voice of dismissed police Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza through a phone interview with Radio Mindanao Network (RMN) DZXL.

At the start of the interview that would last more than an hour, Mendoza sounded calm and optimistic. He had just received word Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno was on his way back from the Ombudsman after relaying Mendoza's demands.

"Magandang balita iyong aking demand eh dala ni vice mayor. May tumawag sa akin. Dala ni vice mayor. At anytime ay iaabot niya sa akin. Malalaman natin kung ano ang laman ng kanyang dala," Mendoza said.

Mendoza wanted the Ombudsman to decide once and for all on the extortion case against him, saying his appeal had been pending for nine months.

But Mendoza's optimism turned to dismay upon reading the letter, which contained Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez's promise for a mere review of his case.

"Basura 'to sakin, di ito ang kailangan ko. Ang kailangan ko ay desisyon nila, reversing or not reversing. Yun lang yung thank you for the effort of the mayor and the vice mayor, di ko kailangan yang sulat ng yan sir," he said.

Mendoza vented his ire on government negotiators led by police Superintendent Orlando Yebra. 

"Ito, sasampulan ko to sir, tabi, magsialis kayo... di ko kailangan yan sir, walang sinasabi yan ...ikaw abogado ka... walang nilalaman yan."

When he resumed his radio interview, Mendoza said he had fired a warning shot in the air. There was a second reason for his increased agitation.

Mendoza was informed by his brother Senior Police Officer 2 Gregorio Mendoza that the authorities had yet to return his service firearm, contrary to a supposed statement by Yebra.

"E nung nagpunta dito yung kapatid ko, kasama si Colonel Yebra sabi niya, 'tol, yung baril ko wala pa sa akin. Kaya ayaw ko nang kausap si Colonel Yebra, sinungaling siya!" he said.

Throughout the interview, Mendoza ranted repeatedly against Yebra.

Around that time, RMN also managed to talk to bus driver Alberto Lubang.

Lubang said everyone in the bus, including Mendoza, could see what was happening on TV.

But the final straw for Mendoza came about an hour later, when he saw his brother on TV struggling and resisting Manila policemen who were trying to arrest him.

Authorities later said Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim ordered Gregorio's arrest on Yebra's recommendation, as if something inside Mendoza snapped.

"Nakikita ko ang sitwasyon, bakit ginaganyan nila ang mga kapatid ko? Wala namang kinalaman yan. Ito kapag hindi nila binago yan, tutuluyan ko na yang mga nandito sa loob. tutuluyan ko na 'to kapag hindi sila nagbago."

Already shouting, Mendoza threatened to shoot the hostages if his brother was not released immediately.

RMN DZXL anchors and reporters scrambled to pacify Mendoza even as they tried to dissuade the policemen from arresting Gregorio and taking him away from the scene.

But it was only after 6 minutes when the first shots rang out.

Mendoza picked up the phone once more to tell the RMN anchor that he had just shot two hostages.

Then the line went dead and Mendoza was never heard from again.


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13 comments

Blame the Hostage Taker

Kung hindi siya nagdesisyon na mang-hostage at mampatay ng kapwa tao ... eh di wala sanang massacre at walang backlash sa mga Pilipino.

At dun sa mga nag-expect na si President Noy mismo ang mamahala ng hostage situation ... ganun din ba ang ginagawa ng ibang mga pinuno sa mundo kada may hostage taking sa kanilang mga bansa ... si Obama ba ay pumupunta mismo sa Los Angeles kung may barilan dun? The President needs to delegate because it is impossible for one person to handle all the nation's problems. Get real.


Media irresponsibility

2007 ethics & guidelines violated by Philippine media during the hostage crisis
http://cmfr-phil.org/2007/04/07/what-to-do-in-a-hostage-situation/
from the Philippine Center for Media Freedom & Responsibility:

Media should:
* Provide no live coverage of terrorists, which gives them an unedited
propaganda platform.
* Avoid making themselves part of the story.
* Avoid making telephone calls to terrorists
* Refrain from doing anything that could endanger the lives of hostages.
* Always assume that the hostage-taker, gunman, or terrorist has access to the reporting. (What is reported via television may compromise the safety of hostages, ongoing negotiations or rescue plans.)
* Avoid describing with words or showing with still photography and video any information that could divulge the tactics or positions of
Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team members.
* Fight the urge to become a player in any standoff, hostage situation, or terrorist incident. Journalists should become personally involved only as a last resort and with the explicit approval of the top news management and the consultation of trained hostage negotiators on the scene.
* Be forthright with viewers, listeners, or readers about why certain information is being withheld if security reasons are involved.
* Seriously weigh the benefits to the public of what information might be given out versus what potential harm that information might cause. This is especially important in the live reporting of an ongoing situation.
* Strongly resist the temptation to telephone a gunman or hostage-taker. Journalists generally are not trained in negotiation techniques, and one wrong question or inappropriate word could jeopardize someone’s life. Furthermore, just calling in could tie up phone lines or otherwise complicate communication efforts of the negotiators.
* Challenge any gut reaction to “go live” from the scene of a hostage-taking crisis, unless there are strong journalistic reasons for
a live, on-the-scene report. Things can go wrong very quickly in a live report, endangering lives or damaging negotiations. Furthermore, ask if
the value of a live, on-the-scene report is really justifiable compared to the harm that could occur.
* Give no information, factual or speculative, about a hostage-taker’s mental condition, state of mind, or reasons for actions while a standoff
is in progress. The value of such information to the audience is limited, and the possibility of such characterizations exacerbating an
already dangerous situation (is) quite real.* Give no analyses or comments on a hostage-taker’s or terrorist’s demands. As bizarre or ridiculous or even legitimate such demands may be, it is important that negotiators take all demands seriously.
* Exercise care when interviewing family members or friends involved in standoff situations. Make sure the interview legitimately advances the story for the public and is not simply conducted for the shock value of the emotions conveyed or as a conduit for the interviewee to transmit messages to specific individuals.

Promoting responsible journalism.

Give a break

With a smile on my face, I am saying this ..

Please give the Prez time to learn - he is on OJT - after two years, he will be on top of things. Until then - everything is GMA's fault - including the breakdown of airport equipment due to wear and tear, the Lunetta Hijacking, PAL pilot strike etc. etc.


Dirty Harry

Hinde na DIRTY HARRY... DIRTY OLD MAN!


mga tanga

5

hinde na lang binigyahn ng pekeng documento na gusto nya..para kumalma!

inuuto lg namn yhn, tapos pg sumuko ikulong at bugbugin!
solve ang problema!
eto na namng si gagong LIM, ewan ko ba , wala n b kayong ibang mapiling lider dyhn sa MAYNILA?

ubud na ng tanda at DIRTY yhn, na hinde namn epektib!

kasama ng mg pulis nyng mamatay tao!


Kaya Nagalit Ang Hostage Taker

Iniulat ni Yebra don sa unang nyang interview na pagkatapos makatanggap ng sulat mula sa Ombudsman kumuha pa sila ng litrato na nagpapatunay na galing talaga kay Merceditas Gutierrez ang sulat. Nong makita ni Mendoza ang pagmumukha ni Ombudsman doon na sya nagalit. Ang mukha nya kasi ay nakaka-irita. Kaya dapat ang sisihin dito ay ang Ombudsman!


NO WHITEWASH

I have watched the broadcast of the crisis as it unfolded. I was glued to my TV set most of the time during and after. The following are the people who should also be investigated, to avoid a suspicion of a WHITEWASH. I ask ABS-CBN News to press for the following to be investigated:
(1) The VICE-MAYOR of Manila. Review his interviews on ABS-CBN, then GMA TV, then on ANC. On his 1st interview, he said that he took it upon himself to go to the Ombudsman where he got the Ombudsman's letter. That letter made Mendoza angrier and may have been a big factor in the final decision of the gunman. Watch for the contradictions in his statements. ALSO, if he took on his lone ranger mission, then he broke the the rules that the team/person appointed to spearhead the negotiations should be the focal point. If that is the case, then he is guilty of breaking the rules and contributing to the anger, then action of the gunman. Nobody, not even a Vice-Mayor should work outside of the rules. For all we know, whatever he said to the gunman may have contributed to the gunman's anger, AND indeed the letter he brought from the Ombudsman did anger the gunman. This Vice-Mayor is out for publicity.
(2) The OMBUDSMAN. Why did she divest Mendoza of his pension? Was there a trial and a hearing? In a democracy, an accused, no matter how bad,is presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law. This Ombudswoman has broken all rules in a democracy and has caused the Filipino people hardships. Questions are: Did she take away Mendoza's pension without a trial and hearing? Did she sit and delayed for many months, the appeal of Mendoza? God will one day catch up with you Mercedita.
(3) The MAYOR of MANILA. He was nowhere to be seen during the crisis. He never showed leadership and responsibility. Is he too old to be mayor? According to testimony, he ordered the arrest of Mendoza's brother. I believe that when he ordered this, the brother was already disarmed. In many hostage situations in the US and abroad, family members of the hostage-taker are used to calm down and negotiate. Here the mayor used his authority and ordered the arrest WITHOUT THINKING.
(4) KRIS AQUINO. This self-centered, egoistic, publicity-seeking, obnoxious person is trying to play foreign policy. She is an embarrassment to the President and the country. Imagine her visiting the victims in the hospital and afterwards posing for photographs. Mabuti na lang alam ng mga biktima ang talagang layunin niya at pinagsi-sigawan siyang umalis. (Thank God, the victims saw through her and yelled and screamed at her to GET LOST).
(5) Mendoza's BROTHER. Did he have prior knowledge of his brother's actions? What was his intent in bringing a gun? Are there other people Mendoza saw and spoke with before the hostage-taking? Just look at his cell phone logs.
(6) The POLICE Officials - Why does Mendoza still have a gun if he was expelled or suspended(?) Arms should be confiscated from people who are convicted...But of course, probably the person was not expelled or suspended at all.
(7) The PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION. President Aquino cannot be blamed for this. He was in office less than 2 months when it happened. The police were UNTRAINED and ILL-EQUIPPED. The police should have been trained and equipped during the previous administration. Bakit hindi na-train ang mga police ng nakaraang administration? Bakit hindi sila ibinili ng modernong kagamitan? SAAN NAGASTOS ANG PERANG PARA SA TRAINING at MODERNONG EQUIPMENT? (Where did the money for training and modern equipment go? Who spent that money and for what? To the minority solons sa kamara. Think before you jump to conclusions, you will be trampling on yourselves.
(8) The DILG Secretary. He was nowhere to be found. One of the things I noticed in the same situations in other countries is the presence of AUTHORITY which may have a calming effect on the hostage-taker. The DILG secretary is NOT competent for the job.

These are the people who should be included in the investigation. I ask FAILON and the others, including my fellow Chinese on UMAGANG KAY GANDA to ask the proper questions. Ask the Vice-Mayor the hard questions !!! The Vice-Mayor HAS SOME ANSWERING TO DO.
Huwang ninyo namang ipagdiinan ang mga mababang pulis. Hindi nila kasakanan na hindi sila trained or properly equipped.
I challenge ABS-CBN to ask the Justice Secretary if she will investigate these people, OTHERWISE it will only be a whitewash na walang kuwenta ang imbestigasyon.


Munting Hiling !!!

Sa totoo lang po...ang hinihingi ni Capt. Rolando Mendoza

ay "barya lang" if you'll think of it....why it was not

granted...I don't know...see the end result...and what a

mess !!! If only President Noy called whoever is

incharge...this could have been prevented....what you think?

To ABS-CBN/Bong Osorio, Maraming salamat at pinasaya nyo kaming TFC Subcribers sa pagbibigay nyo ng "WOWOWEE"... Pero na-dissapointed naman kami sa pinalit nyong PWNW!!!! Sana makita nyo ang maling nagawa nyo!!!

Sibakin yong kapatid ni mendoza at ikulong

itong mga media kung hindi nakialam sa hostage crisis hindi magkakaganun na sa halip makipagnegosasyon si supt. yebra sila tuloy ang nakialam maslalong na busy ang celfon na ginagamit ng kupal na killer.atsaka maslalong lumala nong nakialam si spo2 pulis patula mendoza na nagpalala ng situwasyon.malaking kahihiyan toh sa buong mundo sahil lang sa ginawa ni pulis patula.


PARA SA ATING GOBYERNO

Pag aralan po ninyo na alisin na ang mga pulis na madaming asawa o kabit yan ang nagiging dahilan ng coruption sa ating bangsa tignan po ninyo na napa karaming mga pulis ang na ngongoton bakit? dahil sa dami ng ka nilang pananagutan sa kanilang mga anak,at ano pa yung mga kabit mas matapang pa sa original diba? kaya pag na puwersa ang mga yan ano gagawin gagawa ng paraan para may isustune na sa mga kabit at sa original. pag aralan po ninyo mag kano ang sinasahod ng mga yan palagay po ba ninyo kakasya yan? kung di mag kasya ano gagawin para mapag aral o mapakain ang nga anak?
GISING NA GOBYERNO!!!!!!
KAYA DI TAYO UMASENSO DAHIL SA MALIIT NA PROBLEMA AT NAGIGING DAHILAN PA NG PAG KA PAHIYA NG ATING BANSA.

NOY....

SANA MABIGYAN PANSIN MO ANG MALIIT NA PROBLEMANG ITO NA NAGIGING DAHILAN NG IYONG PAG KA PAHIYA SA BUONG MUNDO

bert_xx


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