MANILA, Philippines – Hostage-taker Rolando Mendoza, who was killed during the police assault on the bus with Hong Kong tourists, was speaking with a radio station’s anchor and reporter before going on a shooting rampage Monday. 

Broadcast journalist Erwin Tulfo, who said he was radio station RMN-DZXL’s reporter at the Rizal Park hostage-taking incident, told Thursday’s Senate investigation on the crisis that he and RMN-DZXL’s anchor were on a three-way phone conversation with Mendoza before he began shooting after demanding that police release his brother. 

Tulfo is also with television station Channel 5.

Mendoza, disgruntled over what he thought was his unfair dismissal from the force which took away his benefits due his retirement next year, hijacked a tourist bus, demanding his job back.

The world watched in shock from the media coverage that showed police clumsily rescuing hostages in the last hours of the crisis. Eight Hong Kong tourists died.

Tulfo said RMN-DZXL called Mendoza for an interview and was speaking to him 30 to 45 minutes before the shooting rampage.

He said he, along with radio anchor Michael Rogas, was on a three-way phone interview with the hostage-taker. He was on the phone as he did the special coverage of the crisis from the ground, close to the crisis command and control center.

Tulfo said he asked for 5 minutes to be allowed to relay to the police Mendoza's request about his arrested brother.

Mendoza’s brother, Gregorio, also a police officer, was forcibly arrested in full view of covering television cameras. A hostaged Filipino driver, who managed to escape before Mendoza went on a rampage, said Mendoza saw the brother’s arrest on television.

“Sumisigaw po ‘yung si Captain Mendoza na, ‘Papatayin ko itong… Iisa-isahin ko itong mga ito (hostages) kundi nila pakawalan ‘yung kapatid ko.’ ‘Give me 5 minutes.’ Hindi na po kasi umabot ng 5 minutes, sir,” Tulfo said in response to senators’ questions. 

Tulfo recalled that during the conversation with a then already hysterical Mendoza, he and Rogas tried to simultaneously assuage Mendoza and relay to the police his demand for the release of his brother.

“As far as I can recall, nagmumura po siya… 'Magsasampol ako rito!' and then nagsisigaw yung anchor, 'Sandali lang,' and then the anchor was overheard on radio na, 'Erwin, gawan mo ng paraan ‘yan!' Sabi ko, ‘Eto na, eto na.’”

Tulfo went on to explain: “It was the anchor… who was trying to stop Captain Mendoza.  What I did was, I was told by the anchor to look for police officials to give in to the request of Captain Mendoza to release his brother.”

But he failed to relay the message because the negotiator, whom Mendoza had been speaking with the entire day, was not anymore at the command center.

The plan was to have the negotiator, Senior Superintendent Orlando Yebra, tell Mendoza not to hurt the hostages because his request was being tackled.

Tulfo said Mendoza sounded impatient after 3 minutes.

“He started shooting and we heard it and it was also caught on video at that time… Six to 8 shots. Bang-bang-bang! And then everybody was screaming and then he was silent already.”