by magnolia_eic | Aug 25, 2010 | Headlines, National News
ANG Department of Interior and Local Government kon DILG nimugna og task force nga mosusi sa nahitabong hostage crisis sa Quirino Grandstand sa Manila niadtong Lunes nga ni resulta sa kamatayon sa walo ka turistang Intsik.
Ang kalihim sa DILG nga si Jesse Robredo nagkanayon nga ang maong hiniusang task force sa DILG ug Department of Justice kon DOJ mo tino sa mga panghitabo sa maong insidente ug kinsa ang angay manubag sa dugoong panapos nga eksena sa krisis.
Gibutang si Police Superintendent Francisco Peñaflor, ang Special Police Assistant to the Secretary, nga maoy mangulo sa hiniusang task force.
Matud pa ni Robredo nga ang giingong task force mohimo’g imbentaryo sa mga available gadgets ug kahimanan ug mo review sa standard operating procedures sa pagdala og hostage crisis.
Gi dugang usab ni Robredo nga iyang imandu ang pag-subli sa media protocols ug makipag-pulong sa mga broadcast leaders aron pagtuki ug pag-uyon sa usa ka polisiya sa panahon nga adunay delikadong sitwasyon sama sa hostage crisis. (PIA-Bohol)
by magnolia_eic | Aug 25, 2010 | Headlines, National News
GI-ANKGON sa kalihim sa Department of Interior and Local Government nga si Jesse Robredo nga ang mga kapolisan kulang sa kahanas ug kahimanan nga gikinahanglan sa pagkupot og hostage situations sama sa nahitabong 11-ka oras nga hostage drama niadtong Lunes diin siyam ka tawo ang namatay, apil sa hostage-taker.
Matud pa ni Robredo nga makigkita usab siya sa mga TV networks aron pag-repaso sa protocols alang sa live coverage sama sa maong insidente.
Si Robredo nagkanayon nga ang Department of Interior and Local Government kon DILG ug ang Department of Justice kon DOJ mo tutok sa ka-kulang sa kahanas ug kahimanan sa mga kapolisan diin ang duha ka ahensiya mohimo og hiniusang imbestigasyon sa nahitabong hostage-taking.
Ang maong task force mohimo’g pakisusi sa mga posibleng sayop ug kalapasan nga nahimo sa mga kapolisan sa maong hostage-taking. (PIA-Bohol)
by magnolia_eic | Aug 25, 2010 | Headlines, Health and Medicine, National News
The Department of Education (DepEd) will closely coordinate with the Department of Health (DoH) to monitor the rising dengue cases in schools and protect school children from the disease.
Education Secretary Armin Luistro said he will instruct all school officials to take necessary measures to prevent dengue which becomes prevalent especially at the onset of the rainy season.
Data from DoH show that about 80 percent of dengue cases belong to the 1 to 20-year-old age bracket. Parents are reminded to be vigilant because the fatality rate in this age bracket is greater than one percent in that age group.
DepEd and DoH officials plan to visit schools with high cases of dengue and will remind the parents and teachers on the most cost-effective ways to fight dengue such as keeping surroundings clean to destroy the breeding places of dengue-carrying mosquitoes.
Luistro has also instructed all school officials to maintain sanitation in school premises and directed school health officials to conduct information dissemination campaign so that students and the community will know what dengue virus is, and what the community can do to prevent it.
As of August 14, a total of 54,659 dengue cases were reported nationwide. This figure is 74.9% higher for the same period last year. There were 429 deaths recorded. (PIA-Bohol)
by magnolia_eic | Aug 24, 2010 | Headlines, National News
With the rest of the Filipino people, I wish to offer our deepest condolences to the families of the victims whose lives were lost in the hostage situation at the Quirino Grandstand. The Secretary of Foreign Affairs has conveyed our deep feelings of sorrow to the Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China and the people of Hong Kong through Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang. I have tasked Secretaries Soliman and Lim to provide everything necessary for the recovery and return home of the survivors. I have directed the fullest cooperation with the Hong Kong authorities on the part of our officials.
From the onset of this incident, the hostage-taker seemed to not be belligerent, as shown by the release of hostages. These were encouraging signs.
We were going to wait him out. The idea was to let the ground commanders who are the experts in this field handle the operation with minimal interference from people who are less expert.
But the situation deteriorated rapidly when, during the course of the negotiations, he was given the letter of the Ombudsman in which she promised to personally review his case. As he was reading the contents of the letter, while talking to an unknown individual on the phone, he became increasingly agitated.
The presence of his brother also added to the tension.
At this point, he threatened to kill a hostage. The police decided to remove the brother from the scene. As the negotiators were departing, the negotiators were shot at.
Media coverage of his brother being taken into custody further agitated the hostage-taker.
Shots were fired. They seemed to be warning shots, as there was no audible indication of tumult or chaos to show that the hostages were in immediate danger.
Nonetheless, the negotiators tried to reestablish contact the hostage-taker but they were unsuccessful as the cellphone of the hostage-taker was continuously busy. He also refused to answer the throw-phone provided for him by the authorities.
The escape of the driver, combined with his reports that the hostages were being harmed, forced the assault to happen. When the vehicle began to move, and with reports that he had hand grenades, a decision was made to immobilize the vehicle as it would have made the situation even more dangerous.
As we know, the incident tragically ended in the deaths of eight innocent civilians.
We expect more of the facts to come to light and I have ordered Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to thoroughly lead this review.
by magnolia_eic | Aug 24, 2010 | Headlines, National News
Hong Kong — The Hong Kong government has issued a statement saying they were “very disappointed” with the outcome of the hostage siege in Manila which left some seven Hong Kong tourists dead.
The city’ Chief Executive Donald Tsang told a press briefing that, “The outcome is very disappointing. It is a tragedy because a pleasure trip has ended up with casualties and injuries.”
As of press time, Tsang says he has not yet reached President Aquino to confirm pertinent information. He demanded that the Filipino authorities provide full account of the deadly incident to the Hong Kong government.
“We have to get the information from the authorities there. Until now I still cannot have a full grasp of the situation. The numbers (of casualties and injured) keep changing.”
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by magnolia_eic | Aug 23, 2010 | Headlines, National News
Manila, Philippines — A hostage-taking crisis in the capital of the Philippines has ended with six of the bus passengers dead after an exchange of gunshots between the hostage taker and the police. Sources confirmed that the hostage taker has also died due to a gunshot in the head.
The Manila Doctors Hopsital has reported receiving four dead and one woman in critical condition.
The incident started when a dismissed policeman armed with an M16 rifle seized the busload of Hong Kong tourists along the Quirino grandstand to demand his reinstatement in the force.
The driver who escaped moments before police surrounded the bus said the hostage-taker, identified as former Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza, 55, opened fire at the tourists.
Mendoza earlier released nine (9) hostages — leaving the 15 inside the bus, while demanding his job back to free the rest.
Shortly after the end of the hostage crisis, Vice-Mayor Isko Moreno was interviewed by CNN. He cited that the demands of the Mendoza included his motion for reconsideration on the case filed against him which caused him to lose his job. When asked by the news anchor whether he was willing to reinstate Mendoza, Moreno reiterated that the demands of the hostage taker was not just about the job, but of the re-opening of his case.
CNN also asked what made the SWAT team decide to surround the bus and exchange gunshots with the hostage taker, Moreno answered by saying when he came back to the area, he was already bringing the letter from the Ombudsman saying that his case will be re-opened. However, upon approaching the hostage taker together with his brother in order to show the letter, Mendoza’s brother suddenly shouted provoking words which further agitated the situation resulting to the exchange of gunshots between the police and the hostage taker.
The Manila Vice-mayor added that such events do not mean that Manila is no longer a safe place to travel. Saying further that these things happen in many other countries and that the police have done what they could. He could have only hoped that no one would be hurt, however, the hostage taker really wanted to make a statement by firing his M16.
Tweets from ABS-CBN and facebook posts have revealed that Hong Kong Outbound Travel Advisory has declared Philippines as a severe threat and all residents must avoid travel bound for Philippines.
