MANILA, Philippines - The Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC) on Monday urged Hong Kong authorities to return 3 cell phones used during the August 23 hostage crisis, including the one allegedly used by the hostage-taker, Rolando Mendoza. 

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, who heads the committee, said a total of 8 cell phones were turned over to Hong Kong authorities after the hostage incident but only 5 belong to the victims of the tragedy.

A police negotiator, Chief Inspector Romeo Salvador, earlier said the cell phone of the hostage-taker was accidentally turned over to Hong Kong authorities.

He said a day after the incident, all personal effects of the hostages were given to the local homicide police. “They probably thought the cell phone belonged to 1 of the hostages,” he said.

The cell phone is relevant to the investigation as it would determine the calls made or coursed to hostage-taker Mendoza before he opened fire and killed some of the hostages. It was supposedly the cell phone used during Radyo Mo Nationwide's (RMN) fateful interview with Mendoza before he went on a rampage.

A total of 9 people, including Mendoza, were killed in the hostage incident last August 23.

De Lima, meanwhile, said the IIRC will extend its probe until Wednesday to obtain more testimonies from personalities linked to the August 23 hostage crisis. "As chair that is what I want. I am not bent on extending this further," she said.

The Malacanang-created panel earlier targeted 3 days to wrap up clarificatory hearings. The panel started its interviews last Friday.

Expected to appear on Tuesday are Radyo Mo Nationwide’s Michael Rogas, Erwin Tulfo and Jake Maderazo as well as GMA-7’s Susan Enriquez. The panel will also do an ocular inspection of the bus Tuesday.

She said Philippine National Police Scene of the Crime Operatives and other teams that investigated the crime scene and did autopsies on the remains of victims will present their findings before the committee on Wednesday.

"For the benefit of the public we asked them to prepare a power point presentation and tell us which bullet hit which victim, whose bullets these are," she said.

De Lima also refused to comment on criticisms leveled against IIRC co-chair, Secretary Jesse Robredo of the Department of the Interior and Local Government. Various groups said Robredo should have inhibited from the investigation since his department could be held liable for the hostage tragedy.

"I choose not to comment on that. We will not be sidetracked by those side issues and we are bent on finishing the job," she said.

The head of the country's police forces, Director General Jesus Versoza, on Sunday meanwhile said he took full responsibility for his men's failures as he announced an early retirement.

Five police officers who led the botched rescue had already been suspended in the political fall-out after the crisis.

"More than ever, it is imperative to take responsibility especially with regards to what has transpired in the past week," Versoza said in a statement.

Versoza said he was also accountable for all police officers "in everything they do and failed to do." He had told the inquiry earlier that he left town at the height of the crisis on an official business.

Versoza said he was stepping down on September 15, three months ahead of schedule. With reports from Ina Reformina, ABS-CBN News and Agence France-Presse