HONG KONG - HONG KONG residents on Tuesday criticised as incomplete a scathing report from the Philippine government detailing the mishandling of a bus hijacking in which eight tourists from the southern Chinese territory died.
The report - which said leaders communicated with poorly with the hostage-taker, a fired policeman, and called police inadequately trained - came as Philippine President Benigno Aquino III tried to repair ties with China, where the attack sparked outrage.
The report, released on Monday, singled out mayor Alfredo Lim and Manila Police Chief Rodolfo Magtibay, who left for a nearby restaurant shortly before gunman Rolando Mendoza started shooting at hostages.
Many in the territory said the investigation left too much unanswered.
Hong Kong legislator Ronny Tong said the report's biggest flaw was its inability to rule out that friendly fire had killed some of the tourists. Philippine officials have previously said police bullets may have hit some of the victims.
Hong Kong's Apple Daily said in a front-page headline the report 'has not done justice to the victims.' Though the Hong Kong government took a more diplomatic approach, calling the investigation 'serious,' it also demanded definitive answers on how the eight victims were killed. -- AP
