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Knifeman kills four-year-old hostage on live TV
London Telegraph ^ | June 1, 2002

Posted on 05/31/2002 8:43:37 PM PDT by gcruse

 
Knifeman kills four-year-old hostage on live TV
(Filed: 01/06/2002)

Television viewers saw a four-year-old boy stabbed to death after being taken hostage by a knifeman in the Philippines yesterday.

The man, who was later shot dead by police, grabbed the boy from his parents at a bus depot in Manila just before dawn. As the police arrived, the incident was broadcast live on Philippines TV. Footage showed an untrained television journalist pleading with the man to free the boy. But the man began plunging his knife repeatedly into the boy's back.

He was later shot by police and bystanders stamped on his body. Manila's police chief, Eduardo Aglipay, promised a thorough investigation, using the television pictures as evidence. "We are dismayed by the death of this child," he said. "There are so many questions to be answered regarding this hostage situation.

"If there were lapses in procedure we would act on them. If anyone committed a mistake, they have to answer for it in terms of administrative punishment."

A national police spokesman, Leonardo Espina, said the police should not have allowed the journalist to negotiate: "We have to have trained negotiators. We cannot just permit anybody who is not trained to negotiate."
 
 


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
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1 posted on 05/31/2002 8:43:37 PM PDT by gcruse
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To: gcruse
"If there were lapses in procedure we would act on them."

... Such as not shooting that **** through the head before he stabs the boy.

2 posted on 05/31/2002 8:47:51 PM PDT by dighton
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To: gcruse
When will they close the knife show loophole?
3 posted on 05/31/2002 8:57:16 PM PDT by Bogey78O
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To: gcruse
"He was later shot by police and bystanders stamped on his body."

We need more Filipinos over here. Now.

4 posted on 05/31/2002 8:57:31 PM PDT by Bonaparte
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To: dighton
The headline should have been, "Idiot Journalist Spooks Man Into Stabbing Little Boy To Death."
5 posted on 05/31/2002 8:59:56 PM PDT by Bonaparte
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To: gcruse

BUNGLED END: Diomedes Talbo holds a 10-inch knife to the back of four-year-old Dexter Balala before the two were both killed in a bungled rescue operation by Pasay City policemen at a bus terminal in Malibay before dawn yesterday. - JOVEN CAGANDE

Cops bungle hostage crisis

By Nikko Dizon
The Philippine Star 06/01/2002


A young mother watched helplessly as a drug-crazed man repeatedly stabbed her frail four-year-old son in a real-life hostage drama shown on early morning television which also showed how policemen bungled a possible rescue attempt.

The two-hour stand-off, which an untrained television reporter tried to resolve, ended with the death of both the young victim, Dexter Balala, and the knife-wielder, later identified by police as Diomedes Talbo.

"He just kept on screaming ‘Mama, Mama’. I couldn’t do anything," a wailing Salvacion Balala, 28, said.

Sensing that it was a no-win situation after Talbo stabbed his wailing hostage at least 13 times with a 10-inch double-bladed knife, policemen opened fire, and kept shooting even as the suspect had already dropped to the ground.

Irate bystanders later joined the melee and stomped on Talbo’s prone and bloodied body.

An ABS-CBN footage clearly showed Talbo holding the boy in one hand leaving his head and almost half of his abdomen open to police sniper fire. But no shot came.

Red-faced police officials vowed a no-nonsense investigation, while Pasay City police director Superintendent Eduardo de la Cerna was immediately relieved of his post by Metro Manila police chief Deputy Director General Edgar Aglipay.

The Balalas had just arrived from a two-week vacation in Camarines Sur and decided to wait for their 4 a.m. connecting ride to their hometown of San Fernando City in Pampanga at the Philtranco bus terminal on EDSA in Malibay, Pasay City.

Balala said that at about 1 a.m., Dexter woke up and told her he wanted to relieve himself. As they started to go to the comfort room, Talbo — a farmer from San Mateo, Isabela — grabbed the boy and held the knife to his side while demanding to see a certain Lito Arriola.

De la Cerna, Chief Inspector Reynaldo Baral and members of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team, and some 20 other policemen responded.

The police officers also tried to talk Talbo into releasing his hostage to no avail.

Police investigator PO3 Rodolfo Soquia said the suspect appeared to be emotionally unstable.

Soquia said Talbo pressed the knife deeper into the boy’s body everytime he would see any movement from the police.

Police said the suspect kept moving, making it extremely difficult even for the snipers to nail him down.

"If our snipers missed because the suspect kept on moving, chances are Talbo would have stabbed the boy," Soquia pointed out.

But Talbo stabbed the boy just the same, prompting the police to open fire.

"We are dismayed by the death of the child," Aglipay said.

He vowed a thorough investigation, using the ABS-CBN television footage as evidence.

Dexter’s father Darius wondered how the suspect, who was reportedly on his way to Mindanao to fetch his children, was able to smuggle the knife into the bus terminal.

"There are so many questions to be answered regarding this hostage situation," Aglipay pointed out.

"If there were lapses in procedure, we would act on them," he added. "If anyone committed a mistake, they have to answer for it in terms of administrative punishment."

No deal for untrained negotiators–PNP
Philippine National Police spokesman Senior Superintendent Leonardo Espina said the police should not have allowed a television reporter to negotiate with the hostage-taker.

"We have to have trained negotiators. We cannot just permit anybody who is not trained to negotiate with hostage-takers," Espina said in a radio interview.

De la Cerna said as ground commander, he did not immediately order his men to fire "because there was no threat, no imminent danger."

De la Cerna, who is due to retire next month, said he welcomed his relief so that the PNP internal affairs office could freely determine where he was remiss.

"What happened was a risk a commander had to take. I was in a ‘damned if you do, damned if you don’t’ situation," he added.

He expressed optimism that the forthcoming inquiry will serve as an "eye-opener to train the police since people have high expectations of us."

He also said he ordered an investigation into the incident, and admitted that his men could have lacked proficiency in shooting, resulting in the bungled rescue operation.

Aglipay pointed out that De la Cerna’s relief would ensure that there would be no whitewash in the inquiry.

De la Cerna was replaced by his deputy for administration, Superintendent Abante Bersamin.

AB-CBN
radio-television network was flooded with angry calls from listeners who invariably said the suspect could have been taken out earlier to save his young hostage.

Espina said the probe will be conducted by the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management, adding that the probers will try to establish if the Pasay City policemen followed the rules of engagement.

"Let us not prejudge the matter at this point in time until we have concluded the investigation," Espina added.

The probers will also question ABS-CBN reporter Michael Fajatin for meddling in police operations.

"We are going to look at the level of authority when he negotiated with the hostage-takers," Espina said. — With Non Alquitran, Jaime Laude, AFP

6 posted on 05/31/2002 9:14:13 PM PDT by csvset
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To: gcruse
I wish I had one shot at that guy with my brand new .45 before he killed him.
7 posted on 05/31/2002 9:24:38 PM PDT by Dan from Michigan
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To: Dan from Michigan
Sensing that it was a no-win situation after Talbo stabbed his wailing hostage at least 13 times with a 10-inch double-bladed knife, policemen opened fire...........Gheeeesh , wonder why they thought that !!

Damn......

Stay Safe Dan.....

8 posted on 05/31/2002 9:38:51 PM PDT by Squantos
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To: Dan from Michigan
If you did it wouldn't be a "before he killed him". Too bad though.
9 posted on 05/31/2002 9:38:51 PM PDT by Bogey78O
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To: gcruse
bystanders stamped on his body.

I would of loved to help. Can you imagine doing that here in the US though?

10 posted on 06/01/2002 11:18:26 AM PDT by Sungirl
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To: Sungirl
Can you imagine doing that here in the US though?

No, I guess not.  I'm not sure if that
is a good thing or a bad thing.

11 posted on 06/01/2002 12:14:22 PM PDT by gcruse
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To: csvset
How absolutely horrible. This picture shows the scum against a backdrop with a clear opening to his head and chest. He should have been shot at that instant.
12 posted on 06/01/2002 5:38:06 PM PDT by SteamshipTime
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To: SteamshipTime;SteamshipTime; Sungirl; gcruse; Dan from Michigan; Squantos
Boy had 5 bullet wounds

By Nikko Dizon
The Philippine Star 06/02/2002


Homicide charges were readied for filing yesterday against 10 Pasay City policemen for the disastrous handling of Friday’s pre-dawn hostage drama that resulted in the death of both the 35-year-old hostage-taker and his young victim.

This developed after autopsy tests on four-year-old Dexter Balala showed that apart from at least 13 stab wounds dealt by his tormentor Diomedes Talbo, he also sustained five bullet wounds including one in the chest, presumably from police firearms.

Talbo, a farmer from San Mateo, Isabela, was gunned down by the police after he repeatedly plunged his 10-inch double-bladed knife into the boy’s back and neck.

Television footage of the incident which took place before dawn at the Philtranco bus terminal on EDSA in Pasay City also showed policemen pumping bullets into the prostrate and bloodied body of Talbo, described by authorities as mentally unstable.

The investigators said the act of shooting a dying person could constitute murder.

In a three-page report to Southern Police District director Chief Superintendent Jose Gutierrez Jr., officer-on-case Superintendent Amante Bersamin also recommended that administrative charges be filed against the 10, as well as Pasay City police chief Superintendent Eduardo de la Cerna, for serious irregularities in the performance of duties. Those facing the criminal charges stemming from the botched rescue operation were PO3 Jose Jonard Castro, PO3 Rodolfo Soquiña Jr., PO2 Renato Llano, PO2 Ashley Gamulo, PO2 Raymond Sabino, PO1 Jayjay Martinez, PO1 Domingo Landong, PO1 Lemuel Galang and PO1 Christopher Torres.

De la Cerna, along with intelligence chief Inspectors Reynaldo Baral, Editha Altera, Aquilino Almanza and PO1 Gregorio Mendoza, PO1 Florante Nobleza, PO1 Roberto Gonzales and PO1 Andito Guardian were subjected yesterday to paraffin tests to determine if they fired their guns, while their service firearms were subjected to ballistic examinations.

Almanza further recommended that Chief Inspector Simon Gonzales, head of the Pasay police Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team, and police Inspector James Turdilla, chief of the Motorcycle Quick Response Team, should also be charged administratively for failure to effectively supervise their respective personnel.

Almanza said he and Altera, who was officer of the day, were among the first lawmen to reach the crime scene.

Fifteen minutes into the hostage drama, Almanza said he and Altera, who acted as ground commander, ordered Castro and Llano, who were armed with Armalite rifles, to shoot and disable Talbo, but the two policemen failed to carry out the command.

When De la Cerna arrived about 90 minutes later, he took over as ground commandeer and directed the SWAT team to disable Talbo, but still no shooting took place.

Speaking in Ilocano, Talbo demanded to see a certain Lito Arriola, prompting De la Cerna to ask the crowd if somebody among them could act as interpreter.

A certain Honorio Pascua volunteered, but the negotiations bogged down.

Almanza said De la Cerna tried to negotiate with the hostage-taker for another 30 minutes to no avail. At that point, Talbo started stabbing his wailing hostage.

Minutes later, the policemen opened fire, cutting down the suspect.

After the first volley of gunfire, De la Cerna grabbed Dexter and rushed him to the San Juan de Dios Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.

Gutierrez also blamed journalists for overstepping an imaginary police cordon and getting into the line of fire of the lawmen.

"We cannot take our firing positions for fear of hitting the reporters," Gutierrez recalled.

Metro Manila police chief Deputy Director General Edgardo Aglipay immediately relieved De la Cerna even as he ordered a thorough investigation to determine if there were lapses in the police’s handling of the hostage situation.

De la Cerna’s force also came under widespread criticisms for bungling their job resulting in the death of the young hostage.

Initial investigations revealed that there was no ground commander in charge of the rescue operation, no police cordon around the crime scene and no official negotiator with the hostage-taker.

"I can see there are some lapses," Aglipay said.

Lawmakers said they would launch their own inquiry.

Acting Press Secretary Silvestre Afable said President Arroyo directed officials of the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation to conduct their own probes into the incident.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina gave the PNP two weeks to complete its investigation.

"I already ordered an investigation for filing of a criminal case which could be homicide with reckless imprudence against the policemen," Aglipay said.

All policemen who responded to the hostage crisis were ordered to turn in their firearms and were being subjected to paraffin tests to determine if they fired their guns.

"Everything we can do to give justice to the slain child, we will do it," Aglipay stressed.

Dexter’s father Darius and mother Salvacion cried for justice for their only son whose remains now lie in their small house along the railroad tracks in Barangay Quebiawan in San Fernando, Pampanga.

"We have accepted Dexter’s fate, but we want to know who was the policeman who fired that fatal shot," Darius said in the vernacular.

There was a profusion of sympathy and material assistance to the tragedy-stricken family, with San Fernando Mayor Rey Aquino taking care of the burial and funeral expenses, while Gov. Lito Lapid sent word from Hong Kong that he, too, would extend financial assistance.

Solons want cops retooled for crisis management
The minority bloc in the Senate called for further training of the police to make them more proficient in handling hostage situations and similar cases.

The legislators also .filed a resolution seeking to indemnify the Balala family of Dexter.

Those who filed the resolution were Senators Edgardo Angara, Teresa Aquino-Oreta, Rodolfo Biazon, Luisa Ejercito, Gregorio Honasan, Robert Jaworski, Panfilo Lacson, Blas Ople, Sergio Osmeña III, Vicente Sotto III and Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr.

Angara said the government should indemnify the Balala family since Dexter’s death was principally caused by a gunshot wound in the chest.

"The government should make up for the negligence of police authorities and their inadequacy in coping with critical situations like what happened in Pasay City on Friday," Angara said.

Pro-administration Sen. Francisco Pangilinan said the policemen involved in the failed rescue operations should be charged with reckless imprudence resulting in homicide.

"They should all be punished for this inexcusable negligence," he said.

Meanwhile, Malacañang brushed aside a call by Lacson for the relief of Aglipay over the incident.

"This is an isolated incident. I think there is no need to replace Aglipay because he has lots of achievement in other areas." Afable said.

For her part, Oreta said "the blood of young Dexter is on the hands of lawmen who figured in Friday dawn’s "tragicomedy or errors."

"On top of a no-nonsense PNP investigation, it is imperative for the Palace to order a comprehensive retraining of all cops and other law enforcers in hostage negotiation-and-rescue operations to prevent more civilians from suffering the fare that befell the young boy who happened to be at the wrong place and wrong time in Pasay City," Oreta said in a statement.

"Given this latest police boo-boo, ordinary citizens are more pessimistic that their supposed protectors are properly trained for their job and are fully capable of maintaining peace and order in their homes and on the streets," she added. — With Efren Danao, Jose Rodel Clapano, Jaime Laude, Ding Cervantes, AFP report

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13 posted on 06/02/2002 4:40:42 AM PDT by csvset
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