MANILA, Philippines - More than a week after a botched police operation on the hostage taking in Manila bared the tactical limitations of the country's police force, the Manila Police District has yet to take an inventory of police equipment of its various units.

"There are some equipment in SWAT in Manila police that are really lacking. I've tasked the new commander of the public service battalion of the MPD to look at the actual inventory," Chief Superintendent Roberto Rongavilla said on ANC's "The Rundown" on Monday.
   
He said National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Director Leocadio Santiago had met with the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team in Manila and in other cities regarding their equipment.
   
Rongavilla, a graduate of Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1979, was deputy director of the National Capital Regional Police Office in Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig City. He replaced Senior Superintendent Frank Villaroman as officer-in-charge of the Manila Police District five days ago.
     
Villaroman had barely been on the job 24 hours, after replacing Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay, when he was relieved from his post over existing complaints. Magtibay's relief came following the botched police assault on hostage-taker Rolando Mendoza.

No turf war

While he admitted asking for back-up would've been the call of the commander on the ground, Rongavilla said executing the assault had faced a number of challenges, including a lack of equipment and bad weather. He, however, denied police operations failed due to a turf war in the police force.
   
"I don't think there is a turf war between us. It just happened that the ground commander thought he can manage the situation at that time," Rongavilla said.
   
While the SWAT team handled the assault operation during Monday's hostage crisis, some say the Special Action Force would've been better prepared to deal with the situation.   

Six members of the 24-man SWAT team, including team leaders and Superintendent Nelson Yabut, District Mobile Group commander, have been relieved from their posts and replaced by augmentation from the Regional Public Safety Battalion.

Yabut, who was relieved from his post for meddling in the assault operations during Monday's bloody hostage drama in front Quirino Grandstand without proper clearance from higher police authorities, has been replaced by Rommel Marvel.
   
President Aquino has called for the formation of a composite military-police team to respond to similar incidents.

Manila's finest

Meantime, Rongavilla said he is rallying the police to keep doing their job, despite criticism facing the police force following the botched hostage crisis.
   
"I told them not to have low morale. We have to go on and live up to the expectation as Manila's finest," Rongavilla said, assuring the public that the Philippine National Police will continue to accept the challenge and uphold its duty as protector of the people. -- report from ANC