MANILA, Philippines - A police official admitted Tuesday the possibility that some Hong Kong tourists taken hostage by dismissed Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza may have been hit by stray bullets fired by a police assault team that went after the hostage taker.

Director Leocadio Santiago, National Capital Region Police Office chief, told the ANC's Rundown that members of the police assault team were ordered to surrender their firearms after the bloody 12-hour hostage drama in Rizal Park (formerly Luneta) ended on Monday night.

"That is the possibility. That is why (part of) the (standard operating procedure) is the operatives surrender all their firearms used in the operations," Santiago said, reacting to questions about the possibility that some of the 8 dead victims were hit by the crossfire between Mendoza and the assault team.

He said the operatives' firearms will be subjected to ballistic tests by the Philippine National Police's (PNP) Crime Laboratory in Camp Crame.

Live coverage allowed

Santiago said he did not expect the hostage-drama's violent twist.

The police official said that a crisis management committee headed by Manila Police District head Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay allowed the live media coverage of the hostage crisis because they were expecting to resolve it peacefully.

“As you see, the earlier events were very promising. (Media) coverage could have been an added boost to the honesty... as far as the intention of the PNP that it will take all measure to ensure the safety of the hostages,” Santiago said.

Santiago was referring to Mendoza’s opening up to a police negotiator and the initial release of 9 hostages.

He said that the police negotiating team was caught off-guard with the unexpected reaction of Mendoza’s brother, Senior Police Officer 2 (SPO2) Gregorio Mendoza, who was summoned by the crisis management committee to help them pacify the hostage taker.

Santiago said that instead of pacifying his brother, SPO2 Mendoza “incited” the hostage-taker not to surrender and agitated him further by calling out to the media while he was being arrested by the police.

“That escalated the deterioration (of the hostage situation) further. The brother was commenting don’t give up,” he said, adding that they never thought that SPO2 Mendoza would put his brother in harm’s way.

The hostage taker also saw the police arrest his brother via a television set installed inside the tourist bus, the Metro Manila police chief said.

Santiago said after SPO2 Mendoza's media interview, his brother fired at a hostage that he earlier handcuffed near the bus entrance.

PNP probe

Santiago said the PNP will start an “organizational” probe on Wednesday.

He said the they will try to fast-track the investigation, which will be two-pronged.

The PNP will try to look at possible improvements that police can make in handling hostage situations and determine the liabilities and possible lapses of police officers involved in the operation.

Santiago said all policemen involved in the hostage-taking crisis, including him and the MPD chief, will be investigated.

Meanwhile, Santiago admitted possible lapses in the police’s handling of the crowd at the Rizal Park and mistakes committed by the assault team.

One possible lapse cited was the assault team’s planning.

He said the assault team, which was seen hammering the front door of the bus, was redirected to the emergency door at the rear part of the bus after receiving text messages that the vehicle had an emergency exit.

Santiago also echoed statements of other police officers about a lack of equipment and appropriate firearms to deal with a hostage-taking crisis.