MANILA, Philippines – The family of a former hotel chef, whose complaint against dismissed Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza led to the latter’s removal from police service, has expressed sorrow over the Manila hostage crisis.

Sebastian Mayo, an uncle of alleged extortion victim Christian Kalaw, said that their family did not expect that the complaint filed against Mendoza would result in the bus hijacking and hostage-taking incident.

Mendoza was one of 5 Manila police officers ordered dismissed by the Ombudsman for alleged extortion and for forcing Kalaw to swallow sachets of methamphetamine hydrochloride in 2008.  

He was dismissed from the service in February 2009 and faced forfeiture of his retirement benefits and perpetual disqualification from government service. 

Mendoza’s demanded reinstatement in the force when he hijacked a bus packed with Hong Kong tourists on Monday.

Kalaw’s father, Bobby, expressed fears on Wednesday that the Mendoza clan would turn its ire on his family.

He said the Ombudsman’s decision to remove Mendoza from the service was the result of a case filed by the Philippine National Police (PNP). 

He revealed that they were no longer interested in pursuing a case against Mendoza before the hostage crisis occurred. 

He added that their deliberate non-appearance in proceedings prompted the Manila Prosecutors’ Office Eighth Division to dismiss charges against Mendoza in August 2008.

The PNP Internal Affairs Service also recommended the dismissal of an administrative case against Mendoza on October 17, 2008, for the same reason, according to reports.

ABS-CBN News tried but failed to contact the former hotel chef for comments on the hostage-taking incident. – with a report from Anthony Taberna, ABS-CBN News