Administrative charges recommended vs MPD cops for mishandling hostage crisis

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) has recommended the filing of administrative charges against members of the Manila Police District (MPD) involved in the hostage crisis last week for failure to implement police operational procedure.

Deputy Director General Avelino Razon Jr., deputy chief for administration (DCA) of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said the recommendation was part of the initial report submitted by the CIDG. The CIDG was tasked to investigate the lapses that occurred during the 10-hour long hostage drama near the Manila City Hall on March 28.

Razon said Senior Superintendent Joel Coronel, chief of the CIDG National Capital Region (NCR), has submitted initial findings that noted apparent lapses in crowd control and handling of the media.

Razon hopes to get the final report from Coronel before Good Friday to be submitted to PNP chief Director General Oscar Calderon and Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno.

An irate Puno observed that during the hostage-taking incident members of the media, relatives of the hostages and kibitzers moved in too close to the crisis area.

"If anything unfortunate or untoward had happened, the casualty (figure) might have been larger (than necessary)," he said.

Razon said there were also three initial recommendations given in the report.

"The first was for the PNP personnel involved in the hostage crisis and (who) failed to implement police operational procedure to be charged administratively," said Razon.

The second and third recommendations were to hold a seminar on hostage situations for all policemen in Metro Manila, starting with MPD, and a thorough review and possible improvement on the existing police operational procedure.

Since the report is not yet final, Razon could not reveal the identities of police officers recommended for administrative charges.

Earlier, Puno ordered the relief of MPD director Senior Superintendent Danilo Abarzosa, Station 5 head Superintendent Rogelio Rosales and police precinct head Chief Inspector Bernardo Cubacub for failure to implement police operational procedures during the hostage crisis.

But before the relief order was implemented, Manila Mayor Lito Atienza contradicted the relief order and even commended Abarzosa for resolving the crisis.

Razon said the fate of Abarzosa will depend on the investigation of the panel tapped to look into the hostage-taking.

The investigation basically defined the rules covering the hostage situation identified what rules were violated, if any, and who violated these rules. It recommended sanctions against PNP personnel who did not follow strictly the rules that govern this kind of situation.

"We will see it on the decision of the investigating panel... from there we will see what are the actions to be taken," Razon noted.

Ducat has been charged with 26 counts of child abuse for taking hostage the children, whom he had made believe that they were going to Tagaytay for a field trip.