QUIRINO GRANDSTAND STANDOFF REPORT CARD

PNP's SWAT team on assault on the tourist bus that was hijacked by then Insp. Rolando Mendoza at the Quirino Grandstand last August 23, 2010

August 23, 2010 would likely be one of the most – if not the most- dreadful nightmares in the history of the Philippines. It didn’t just created fear among our kababayans here, but also created a foul smell to outsiders on us, thus leaving the country labeled as the most dangerous place to travel in the world and furiously damaged the very little reputation and dignity of our country, that we try to protect and built upon.

Dismissed S/Insp. Rolando Mendoza of the Philippine National Police (PNP) hijacked a tourist bus that had 25 passengers, all but one are Chinese and Hong Kong nationals at around 10 in the morning (I was about to take my breakfast at that time). The bus was only supposed to tour the foreigners around Metro Manila and safely carry the passengers to their scheduled flights back to their homes that day, when this unexpected guest, who at first introduced himself as their security companion, burst out of the scene from nowhere.

And after a long cinema-like ambience at the Quirino Grandstand of 11 hours, the outcomes of the incident were woeful. Insp. Mendoza was shot dead by the assault team of the PNP and the worst, 8 Hong Kong nationals were dead, both either on the spot or on arrival, and 13 were seriously injured. Until now many thought how the outcome was such, a bloody ending? Wasn’t any negotiations took place during the taking? What were the immediate solutions formulated when it was still happening? Let me try to dissect some of the factors that played huge roles in the incident that would have avoided the death of either party, if were given proper solutions. And let’s try to give our judgment on these.

Legend:
A (Excellent)
B (Very Good)
C (Good)
D (Satisfactory)
E (Needs Improvement)
F (Failed)

(this is in no-particular order)

Crowd Control.Ang daming usisero, one local reporter remarked. After the taker was found dead, people from all over the different tribes in the country, I think, swarmed around the bus just to make sure that the taker was really dead, or the very least, be seen on TV waving happily to their kamag-anaks watching while this holocaust is happening. At first I thought that those people with huge multi-colored umbrellas are medical teams contacted to take rescue to the near-dead casualties, but hell, I saw a man wearing proudly his black number 9 jersey matched with his denim shorts and Good Morning towel bandana on. Isn’t this the very basic or the very primary factor that should be given proper considerations and actions, to control and disperse the crowd properly in this very delicate situation? Ang madlang people nga naman. Remarks: F

The Media. How could a scene like this be completed without those people hoisting cameras on their shoulders together of course with their reporter, who are both chasing toe-to-toe just to capture footages? It is a no-brainer, that, in every major event in the country, either for the better or worse, the media is really right there, at the right place (they think) and at the right time (earlier than the police). Well, that’s their job and I’m not against on it. But, I think that the media coverage on the incident was uncontrolled by the authorities eventually going nuts, because, it only made Insp. Mendoza play rattles on his mind, took the gun and shot wildly on the hostages. The very pre-mature arrest of his brother, current SPO2 Gregorio Mendoza was all caught on the camera and was lively watched by the older Mendoza, while in the bus. Why in this very delicate situation arrest a relative of the taker, knowing, that the whole incident is caught on the rolling tapes? Wouldn’t it create tension on the hostage taker? Ok, given the fact that the younger Mendoza is suspected to be the taker’s accomplice, authorities should have anticipated that any move from them would be watched and heavily scrutinized by the public eye, including the hostage-taker. Insp. Mendoza enjoyably watched all of the antics that the rescuing team is doing, including also his brother’s arrest. There should have been a news blackout on the part of the media to avoid leakage, on the part of the police. Even the ABS-CBN and GMA voluntarily limited their footages on the hostage-drama so that the police force could plan their actions smoothly, but there was no direct command or request that the media shouldn’t be allowed to catch-up those videos. Nakita kasi sila Big Brother, kaya ayun violation! Remarks: F+ (It’s because some media men limited their coverage despite no-word from the police)

Assault team. I was amazed when the SWAT assault team finally headed to the bus. Counter Strike isn’t it? But I was surprised by their first actions and found numerous errors, I said so maybe because I am fond of watching SWAT-inspired movies. First, the tear gas, but I don’t blame them because they thought that the hostages are all dead (according to Alberto Lindao, the driver). They just want to try to isolate Mr. Mendoza (I would use Mr. from now on since he was already relieved of his duties) and try to arrest him alive. But unfortunately, that only made Mr. Mendoza get nervous and engage in an open-fire with the assault team and worst, suffocated a 67-year old woman inside the bus. Second, the timing of their assault; here, there, everywhere and what? How come there were so many SWATS in front of the bus? Are they waiting for the next trip? Looking at the rear view, there was one SWAT that was about to infiltrate the bus, then gunshots were heard and that noble SWAT went back out immediately. I laughed at that, it was like he saw a big bad wolf ready to devour on him. He wasn’t playing trial and error or patintero, he should’ve went inside the bus completely and try to calm the taker because lives were at stake at that time. Again, this made Mr. Mendoza grew more nervous. Third, the SWAT’s equipments that only looked like protective gears of an ordinary skateboarder on cam. Very low-cost at all, and the budget-crunch issue is to be dragged here so no sense of continuing this part, it is already understandable. The very hope of the people in this situation also needs help from the government, how come? Fourth, ang tagal nila kumilos; in other countries especially in the US, it would only take until lunchtime, and this hostage drama is solved without casualties. I don’t know if it was the negotiations or the demands of the taker that slowed the progress down but, the pace of the negotiations or the assault should been faster and more accurate, but 11 hours filled with fear and anxiousness of lives on the line is almost eternity. Mr. Mendoza waited the whole day for his demands to be followed while watching the whole happenings outside the bus. Nervous only grew bigger on his mind. Pumalpak tayo pare, di bale next time. Remarks: F

Medical rescue team. Calling the medical rescue team is one of the standard operating procedures to be made when situations like this would take place. But the medics only arrived after gunshots and bullets were thrown in the air, and many people were dead. Medics should’ve been called earlier as the “program” started. Then the casualties were carried inside the ambulances and headed to different hospitals surrounding Quirino Grandstand (possibly the nearest), WITHOUT ANY COORDINATION FROM ANY OF THE POLICEMEN. Outcome? Survived victims were clueless in finding where and what hospitals were there relatives were brought and confirmations on the number and names of the injured and dead were uncertain until 24 hours passed by. As the victims were hauled inside the ambulance cars respectively, there should have been a coordination made with the police to avoid lapses and confusions. The best way supposed done was, any in-uniform personnel accompanied every ambulance. Oo nga naman, nagtext na lang sana kung saang ospital dinala. Remarks: F

President Benigno Simeon Aquino III. Maybe to your surprise, that he is included here. The reason? His passiveness and no-action while the nightmares were going on forced me to include him here. His actions, supposed to be were very important at that time and how he could handle such, as being the president. I am beginning to feel disappointment at him because of this. The president was nowhere in the scene, until all damage was done. The very least he could do is send a written statement or have it televised since he can be watched by the taker, saying that his demands are to be considered and not to be followed and make sure that the hostages will be alive until demands are done or heard. I don’t believe 100% that any crocodile err, politician should not be negotiating with the taker because taken into consideration, that the president should made ways to somehow lessen the tension of the heist-maker. Until now, I haven’t heard any words from the president on the aftermath of this, except that he’ll be going to talk with the Hong Kong Chief Execs to say his apologies in lieu of the country. Mr. President, yosi muna. Remarks: E

The pending case. This thing right here started it all. Weeks before this incident happened, Mr. Mendoza and other five policemen were relieved from their duties due to case that happened and cost their jobs. The case was, they tried to bribe someone and attempted to drugged the person just to shut his ass up. Mr. Mendoza and Co. were said to be, extorted an amount of P20,000. But they filed a motion for reconsideration to the Office of the Ombudsman to review the case and reverse the verdict. Mr. Mendoza even sent 3 copies of the motion on different occasions directly to Merciditas Gutierrez for the case to e reviewed and so he thought that those were ignored. It was also said that Gutierrez directly spoke to Mr. Mendoza and said that she will review it personally if the former would only give her 10 days to do such. This maybe made Mr. Mendoza grew fed up and terrorized a bus with a bunch of people on it few days later. The point is the socio-judicial system of the Philippines is again compared to a sloth walking down a mile. If the Office of the Ombudsman considered the motion of the gentlemen immediately, it should not have resulted to the death of 8 innocent tourists. Pinadaan na lang sana sa fixer, bumilis pa sana. Remarks: F.