Bus driver faces hostage probe today

THE fact-finding committee on the August 23 hostage fiasco will continue its hearings today, Monday, with the grilling of the bus driver, Alberto Lubang, who escaped from the carnage.

Aside from Lubang, a certain “Rose”, who drove hostage-taker Rolando Mendoza to Fort Santiago where he boarded the Hong Thai Bus, will also be subjected for questioning.

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Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, chairperson of the Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC), said they would likely conduct an ocular inspection of the bus, which is now parked at Camp Bagong Diwa.

“We might have an ocular inspection of the bus. When we question the bus driver, we might do an ocular inspection for purpose of reenactment,” she said.

Lubang earlier claimed that Mendoza handcuffed him to the steering wheel but he escaped by using a nail file. He then jumped from the driver’s window minutes before the suspect went on a shooting rampage.

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim earlier accused Lubang of conniving with Mendoza due to his supposed “friendliness” towards the gunman. This, however, was vehemently denied by Lubang.

Rose, on the other hand, claimed that she had no inkling on the plan as she only conceded to his request to be brought to Manila so he could return his firearms.

She said Mendoza told her to drop him off Intramuros, where he waited until the bus arrived.

Aside from Lubang and Rose, de Lima said several media personalities will also be invited to shed light on allegations that the situation deteriorated when Mendoza monitored the arrest of his brother, Gregorio, in television.

It was learned also that the suspect was able to talk to broadcast journalists Erwin Tulfo and RMN radio anchor Michael Rogas, and had also requested but failed to talk to GMA-7 reporter Susan Enriquez, prior to the carnage.

“We would want to wrap up with clarificatory proceedings after Monday so we can start preparing our report to the President,” said De Lima.

During the IIRC hearings on Friday and Saturday, the panel grilled several police officers and local government officials led by Mayor Lim, who gave their respective accounts of the standoff.

On Saturday, the finger of blame for the botched rescue of hostages pointed to the lack of equipment of the Manila police force’s elite special weapons and tactics (Swat) unit.

Members of the Swat team of Manila police led by Edwin Simacon and Francis Ungco told the IIRC that they could have done better if they had been properly geared.

Simacon said his team could have also taken down Mendoza if they had commando assault riffles instead of standard M16 infantry rifle.

Ungco, for his part, revealed that the bulletproof vests they wore during the assault can no longer stop bullets since it were weakened by heavy downpour.

Chief Inspector Romeo Salvador, who stood as assistant negotiator, also told the IIRC that he had the opportunity to jump at Mendoza early on in the negotiations but main negotiator, Superintendent Orlando Yebra, disagreed as such was against the protocol on hostage-taking situations. (JCV/Sunnex)