Mendoza's woman friend faces NBI

MANILA, Philippines – The woman who reportedly accompanied dismissed policeman Rolando Mendoza to Manila surfaced Tuesday and told investigators that she had no knowledge of his plan to hold hostage passengers of a tourist bus that resulted in the death of eight Hong Kong tourists last Aug. 23.

GMANews.TV reported that the woman, identified only as “Rose,” executed a two-page affidavit at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Rose said she had nothing to do with former senior inspector Mendoza’s plan to hold hostage a busload of tourists. But she confirmed that she accompanied him in her Toyota Vios from Batangas to Manila.

“Gusto ko lang pong malinis ang aking pangalan… Talagang walang-wala po akong alam. Kung ako po’y may alam doon, ‘di ko po siya isasama (I just want to clear my name. I knew nothing. If I knew something about it, I wouldn’t have allowed him to go with me),” she said in an interview aired over GMA News’ “24 Oras” last Tuesday.

She allowed Mendoza to go with her to Manila after the former police officer told her that he would go to the Manila Police District (MPD)’s headquarters to surrender his M16 rifle and other equipment that were issued to him.

“Hindi ko po alam na doon siya pupunta… Ako nga po ay talagang nalulungkot din sa ginawa niya. Ni sa panaginip, hindi ko po akalaing gagawin niya iyon (I didn’t know that was where he was going. I am sad about what he did. I never could have imagined that he could do such a thing),” she said.

Rose said Mendoza went to her house in Batangas at around 6 a.m. last Aug. 23.

She explained that Mendoza, who she said was a friend, convinced her to allow him to drive the car, which was banned on Metro Manila streets that day due to the government’s number-coding scheme.

Mendoza told her that since he was wearing a police uniform, traffic enforcers would not arrest him.

She said she initially thought that Mendoza would go to the police headquarters in Bicutan, Taguig where the ex-policeman was previously assigned.

Rose said she was surprised that they went straight to Manila and they even ate breakfast at a restaurant in Sta. Cruz. They ate rice porridge, beef broccoli, shark’s fin, and chicken feet.

She said they proceeded to Fort Santiago in Intramuros. Mendoza told her to alight and take a walk at the park. The former police officer drove the car around the nearby rotunda and later came back.

He took his rifle and other equipment and told her to drive home.

Rose said at about 9:30 a.m. Mendoza called her on her cell phone and told her that he was holding several tourists hostage.

She said she wants to clear her name because the pressure has given her sleepless nights.

Rose surfaced to clear her name last Monday, a week after Mendoza was killed by members of the Manila police’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team in a nighttime assault after negotiations failed during the hostage crisis.

The Manila police chief went on leave while five other police officers were relieved because of their lapses during the assault on the tourist bus.

Mendoza, who was dismissed from the police force last year for extortion, commandeered last Monday a Hong Thai Travel tourist bus in Intramuros and held hostage 21 Hong Kong tourists and four Filipino guides for several hours in front of the Quirino Grandstand at Rizal Park in Manila.

The suspect, armed with an M16 rifle and a pistol, had released several hostages before the SWAT team assaulted the bus resulting in the death of the hostage taker and eight tourists.

Police hostage negotiators said Mendoza turned violent due to frustration after failing to get his demand to be reinstated to the police force.

Mendoza was also apparently agitated when the police arrested his brother Police Officer 2 Gregorio Mendoza who was earlier trying to help the negotiators convince the hostage-taker to release all the hostages.

Eugeryl Rondacio, lawyer of Mendoza’s female friend, said that he hopes his client’s affidavit will help authorities complete its probe into the incident.

“My client gave an official statement in the hope that this will set the facts (straight) and complete the investigation,” he said.

He said that Rose had already surrendered her driver’s license to the NBI, and is expected to undergo psychiatric interrogation in the coming days.

Probe team invites nine people

The special body investigating the hostage-taking incident has invited at least nine personalities, including the female friend of Mendoza.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, chair of the incident investigation and review committee (IIRC), said the resource persons would be subjected to clarificatory questionings in marathon hearings set for tomorrow and Saturday.

Those who are in the list of ranking officials and persons involved in the incident to be interviewed by IIRC are: Interior Undersecretary Rico Puno, Philippine National Police chief Director General Jesus Verzosa, National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Leocadio Santiago Jr. and former Manila Police District director Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay.

The probe panel has also invited for questioning Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, Vice Mayor Isko Moreno, hostage negotiator Superintendent Orlando Yebra, bus driver Albert Lubang, and Rose.

“They will be invited for purpose of completing the picture,” De Lima told a press conference.

She explained that although the testimonies of these personalities were already taken either by the PNP or NBI, there still is a need for the IIRC to talk to them for “clarificatory questions.”

“We’ll make sure there will be no wastage of time, no duplication of questions and no unnecessary questions. We don’t want to duplicate what was already stated in their written statements or testimonies taken by PNP or NBI,” she stressed.

Members of the IIRC and a technical working group will meet this morning to discuss rules and mechanics of the proceedings.

De Lima said more personalities could be invited by the IIRC depending on the necessity.

She revealed that there are other personalities who submitted testimonies to the NBI yesterday, including Erwin Tulfo and Jake Maderazo of Radio Mindanao Network. Anchormen of the radio station talked to Mendoza over the phone during the hostage incident.

Other who submitted their statements include the policeman who confiscated the firearm of Mendoza’s brother, and SWAT members who conducted the assault.

De Lima said the panel might also invite the official of the National Police Commission who supposedly meddled with the negotiations for the release of the hostages.

President Aquino was quoted as saying the Napolcom official would be “disciplined.” He did not name the official, but reports said he was referring to Napolcom vice chair Eduardo Escueta.

De Lima, meanwhile, dismissed the possibility that the IIRC would invite the President to attend the inquiry.

“We feel that it is unnecessary to call on President Noynoy,” she stressed, adding that she could always just ask for information from the President since she is his alter ego.

by;phil star