Policemen who responded to the hostage crisis in Manila on August 23 have been disarmed and their weapons subjected to crime laboratory examination.
Radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo reported some 27 rifles and 34 pistols were brought on Wednesday to the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory for ballistic tests.
Through the tests, investigators would be able to determine who among the cops fired their weapons during the 11-hour standoff that resulted in the deaths of eight tourists from Hong Kong and the hostage-taker, dismissed Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza.
The report said the weapons belonged to members of the Manila Police District's Explosives and Ordnance Division and Special Weapons and Tactics teams.
Meanwhile, a radio anchor who last talked to the hostage-taker has expressed willingness to cooperate in the ongoing investigation into the incident.
DzBB's Carlo Mateo on Wednesday reported that radio anchor Michael Rogas indicated his lawyer will accompany him to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) headquarters.
Rogas, a reporter-anchor for Radio Mindanao Network's dzXL, was among the broadcasters the hostage-taker last talked to during the hostage drama near the Quirino Grandstand.
Mendoza commandeered the tourist bus and demanded his job back, as well as the dropping of cases against him.
He was dismissed from service in February 2009 due to charges of robbery and extortion. [See: Rolando Mendoza: From decorated cop to hostage-taker]
On the other hand, other figures in last week's incident were also expected to give their statements to the NBI: Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, Vice Mayor Francisco Domagoso (a.k.a. Isko Moreno), and Manila Police District head on-leave Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay.
Last week, Magtibay said Lim ordered the arrest of Mendoza's brother SPO2 Gregorio Mendoza. The arrest was believed to have triggered the hostage-taker's outrage.
But Lim denied the claim, saying he merely ordered SPO2 Gregorio Mendoza handcuffed. — LBG/RSJ
