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."
... Such as not shooting that **** through the head before he stabs the boy.
We need more Filipinos over here. Now.
Cops bungle hostage crisis |
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"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 dont 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 Cernas 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 |
Damn......
Stay Safe Dan.....
I would of loved to help. 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.
By Nikko Dizon |
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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 Dexters 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 dawns "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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