MANILA, Philippines – Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim is calling for an investigation of the bus driver who escaped just before police stormed the vehicle to end the hostage crisis Monday.

Lim said Alberto Lubang, driver of the Hong Thai Bus that was commandeered by former senior police inspector Rolando Mendoza, needs to answer a lot of questions.

The Manila mayor, a former National Bureau of Investigation director, said police should check if Mendoza received help from Lubang.

Lim does not believe that the bus driver was able free himself from being handcuffed to the steering wheel by using a nail cutter as a lock pick. He said it is almost impossible to pry open the handcuffs even if one uses “100 nail cutters.”

Insp. Armando Macaraeg, chief of the Manila Police District (MPD) homicide section, echoed Lim’s statement.

Macaraeg said Lubang should also explain why he allowed Mendoza to board the tourist bus.

Lim, meanwhile, acknowledged that the police also had shortcomings, including lack of equipment in  the tourist bus.

Police also did not have proper crowd-control procedures, he added.

No hand in negotiations

Lim said he did not interfere in the negotiations and allowed police to handle the case.

"Pinili ko talagang hindi makialam, para hindi ma-distract yung negotiator,” he explained. "Kahit mga heneral ng PNP o sinumang congressman dyan, hindi pwedeng makipag-usap.”

Lim said MPD Supt. Orlando Yebra, a graduate of the FBI Academy in Virginia, USA, handled the negotiations. He said Yebra also took crisis-management lessons at Scotland Yard and the Royal Thai Police Academy.

The Manila mayor said the participation of Senior Police Officer 2 Gregorio Mendoza, a brother of the hostage taker, was the “twist” in the negotiation process.

"Nung kasing lumapit sya, sinabihan nya si Senior Inspector Mendoza na huwag mong pipirmahan yan hanggang sinasauli yung baril ko," Lim said.

Media should observe protocol

He added that journalists do not have a role to play in resolving hostage-taking situations.

"Meron pa nga daw isang mediaman na gustong maging bahagi ng negotiations," Lim said.

He plans to call a meeting between police and journalists to properly define their roles if a similar incident occurs in the future.

Lim said he understands the media’s need to cover an event, but maintains that proper protocol must be followed during crises.

Police on Tuesday defended their handling of the hostage crisis that left eight Hong Kong tourists dead, but acknowledged some tactical "shortcomings."

Chief Supt. Leocadio Santiago, National Capital Region Police Office head, said security forces made the right decision in allowing the stand-off to drag on for more than 10 hours before storming the bus Monday evening. – with reports from Maan Macapagal and Jorge Cariño, ABS-CBN News