Too little, too late: Manila cops run hostage drills

MANILA, Philippines - The Metro Manila police on Friday ran mock hostage scenarios simultaneous with the official investigation into the 12-hour hostage drama that ended in a bloodbath.

National Capital Region Police Chief Leocadio Santiago said the exercise was part of the police organization’s review of its rule book on crisis management, including hostage-taking incidents.

“We did not ask them to add things. We only told them to do what they usually do,” Santiago said. “We are trying to evaluate the capability, interoperability. What is lacking. How it should be done.”

He said the exercise was witnessed by an assessment team from the police national headquarters.

He said that the Philippine National Police is trying to review, not only its rule book on crisis management, but also check the capability of its personnel and how they can react to real scenarios.

“The assessing officers will render a report, factor in their experiences and hopefully the review group will give ground troops the guidelines,” the Metro Manila police chief said.

The display of the police strike group’s capability on Friday is the 4th and final day of the Metro Manila police’s crisis management exercises.

The program ended with a scenario where bank employees and customers were taken hostage by 5 armed men.

The police teams were quick to respond, the media immediately controlled and kept within a safe distance, and a police spokesperson identified within the first few minutes in order to provide the media with timely updates.

Snipers and members of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams were also positioned at strategic areas, and when the hostage-taker warned that he already killed a hostage, the assault started and the police was able to immediately breach into the bank and neutralize the hostage-taker.

Leocadio said they intend to come up with an improved and updated rule book through the exercises.

He said once the rule book is update and improved, ground troops would begin retraining.

The exercises were held more than a week after the bloody hostage drama in Rizal Park last August 23.

Dismissed policeman Rolando Mendoza hijacked a tourist bus and took its occupants, mostly Hong Kong tourists, hostage.

After early 12 hours, police were able to shoot Mendoza dead and enter the tourist bus. Eight Hong Kong tourists turned up dead.

Media personnel from Hong Kong witnessed the exercises at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.

Leocadio declined to answer the Hong Kong media’s questions about the bloody hostage crisis, saying he was not allowed to talk because of the ongoing investigation headed by the Department of Justice. –

ABS-CBN News