Pedestrian Observer GB: Tragic End for Hong Kong Tourist in the hands of Ex-Cop Rolando Mendoza

While the nation is still reeling over on the torture video of a robbery suspect by PNP Insp. Joselito Binayug, another ex-cop Rolando Mendoza despondent over his dismissal from the service takes Hong Kong tourist hostage in Manila that ended in his death taking along with him 8 innocent tourist lives.

To say that the hostage situation that ended horrifically tragic was bungled by the cops is an understatement. Everything that went wrong that day just went terribly wrong, the absence of tear gas mask only shows the police ineptness to handle such situation. Poor execution if indeed they even mapped out plans on how to takeover the situation is as pathetic as it gets.

Clearly the negotiators and the police are not in control of the situation or properly secured the perimeter when they allowed a relative of the hostage taker to carry his gun in the area. How can they allow Gregorio Mendoza also a cop and brother of the hostage taker whom they dispatched to convince Rolando Mendoza to surrender, but instead only added to the tense situation by instigating his brother even more? As if that is not enough they ought to know that the hostage taker is suffering from persecution complex, arresting the hostage taker brother when they could have just ordered him to stay clear and arrest him later is as dumb as it can get. Now how exactly do they expect one with an unstable mind react when he sees not just his brother getting arrested but also his son interfering and resisting in their arrest? Volatile deadly hostage situation calls for highly trained stable professionals, sadly questions arise if those dispatched are equally unstable themselves.

The timing of the arrest is definitely dumb but even dumber is when the media reports it trying to out scoop each other not realizing that their irresponsible reporting only adds more fuel to the raging fire enraging the hostage taker even more to murdering suicidal state.

If the reports are accurate that Rolando Mendoza was agitated by the letter coming from Ombudsman Merceditas Guttierez, what exactly was the content of the said letter that enraged the hostage taker even more? Did the negotiators read the letter before passing it off to the hostage taker, or better still the question should be why will the Ombudsman send a letter in the first place? Well, it appears that no one is clearly in command of the situation as seen in this report quoting Isko Moreno the Vice Mayor of Manila:

Moreno said he has been helping solve the hostage situation as a representative of the Manila City government. "We’re trying to come up with something, kanya-kanyang effort [to each his own effort]. I’m stuck in traffic but I just came from the Office of the Ombudsman. I have a letter for Capt. Mendoza," Moreno explained.

Stupid as stupid gets, dumb and dumber or was it a contest of the dumbest? What does he mean that they are coming up with their own effort? Is this guy a professional hostage negotiator that he acts on his own getting a letter from the ombudsman intended for the hostage taker? How in the world can he even assume what goes on in the minds of the hostage taker is just unbelievable stating that if it was him, said content of the letter will enlighten him. Well, Isko here is a word of advice, don’t assume things because people who assume things are almost always wrong, and with deadly consequence one should not at all cost do so for the sake of the elusive sound bytes. For one, what would compel a hostage taker in reading a letter coming from a bar flunker appointee of Gloria Arroyo ease the tension and convince the hostage taker to surrender?

An ex-cop resorting to drastic criminal measure clearly indicates a system that is broken. Does he have a legitimate grievance? His ordeal started when he was the subject of a viral email dubbed as the revenge of the nerd arising form the illegal arrest and extortion of a Manila Hotel Chef. A case of “Hulidap” a modus operandi of extorting money from innocent civilians by planting illegal drugs as “evidence” of possession forcing the victims to cough up huge amount of hard earned money. There are numerous cases of Hulidap, unfortunately when you are dealing with a corrupt police officer bringing a case against them is a very dangerous and a deadly proposition. In a court system that can’t be trusted and perceived to be corrupt if not inept this hooliganism persist and sadly when caught these dumb asses are so deluded in their thinking that they are being persecuted or singled out. Now why singled out, well if they see their big bosses all the way to the top elected untouchable politicians plundering the nation they will of course feel persecuted.

Why only me, is the common sentiment among crooks nowadays and sadly until these cops and the court system who insist that the crooks are a minority then it is time that they prove it and show us exactly by making the system work. Until corruption is unimpeded in running amok in the police and justice system we have yet to see the worse to come. This is an indication that the justice system as a whole stinks due to endemic corruption. When you have people in position and high places not just contributing but actually instituting the malady the outcome will be tragic as in this case.

The worse criminals are the ones who took the oath to protect us from the dregs of society but of course thieving politicians are not concerned about it because they have their own bodyguards to protect them…. Only mortals like us will have to worry about our safety in the hands of our bantay salakay……….. on the other hand we can't lose hope that change is still possible and how the administration deals with this problem will determine if indeed there is hope. But then again while negotiations are ongoing another news that makes the Philippines a dangerous place for tourist hit the news with the killing of a Korean and kidnapping of 2 others......

Hostage Taker Rolando Mendoza's Live Interview w/ Michae Rogas of RMN

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