Thought I'd wait a few days to see if someone else would post a thread lol. I'm not sure if it's widely spread on the news/media in America though. [Link] Currently it has been reported that the casualty count has been raised to 9, one tourist has been nearly fatally injured by a Filipino policeman who whacked the window with a sledgehammer and hit the tourist on the head. Lots of tourists attempted to jump at the gunman but were mostly killed as the gunman was a trained police agent. The Leung family suffered the most casualties, the father Mr. Leung tried to save his wife by lunging at the hijacker Rolando Mendoza but was killed immediately at point-blank range fire. Both daughters were killed as well, one of them tried to save her brother Jason Leung by using her own body as a shield; the only two survivors are Jason Leung (who was almost killed by the Filipino police's sledgehammer and is still in critical condition right now) and Mrs. Leung, who fortunately suffered no injuries by hiding under a seat and feigning death. Where are the flash grenades, gas grenades? Where are the ladders? Where are the snipers? Hong Kong flags are raised at half-mast in Hong Kong, China, Canada, and Philippines. This marks probably one of the worst rescue missions ever conducted in history, with lots of childish mistakes made by the so-called Filipino "SWAT" force (in reality they were nowhere near the training level of actual SWAT teams and were armed with equipment that resembles a traffic police). From the late response of the police, immediate rejection for negotiation bargains which sparked the hijacker's anger, complete lack of equipment and timing, total stupidity (using a sledgehammer to break into a bus?? Hijacker was outside the bus at least 3 times in clear view during daytime yet the sniper did not shoot him??) and lack of explanation by the Filipino government, Hong Kong and mainland China government has publicly announced that citizens should not visit Philippines and anyone currently visiting Philippines should immediately head back. Their trading relationship is also predicted to deteriorate in the near future, with the Chinese boycotting many Philippines goods. Additionally, the actions by Filipino civilians after the incident is completely outrageous. Civilians and even police officers are seen taking family photos near the bus to keep as "souvenirs", and they are seen smiling and laughing in these photos, which is completely inappropriate for a major disaster like this. It has also been rumored (no reliable source yet) that the daughter of the Filipino president Benigno S. Aquino III visited the hospital where the family of the victims stayed to address grievances, and her token of apology on behalf of the Philippines was two boxes of mangoes. Using a sledgehammer to break in Golden opportunity to snipe, but sniper probably fell asleep Taking out the tourists, dead or alive, after the incident - the only purpose these policemen served Attempt to use rope to pull the door open, but rope broke. In the morning a few tourists were released by the hijacker, when he was still calm and wanted to "negotiate peacefully". Uhh...
Man did those guys ever mess up. I was reading about it here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11069616
Wow, people were taking photos and smiling? Why were the police so happy? Because their mission was so 'successful'? Geez, this is pathetic. The hijacker was outside 3 times? Not only did the police with the pistols not shoot him, but the snipers didn't either? Again, pathetic. And 2 boxes of mango as an apology? Wow.
well, it sucks to live in a third world country. Thankfully, most TAers live in places where this stuff wouldnt occur. How stupid can the police get over there? One of em killed a hostage with a sledgehammer. Seriously.
Well, I don't think it has anything to do with the Philippines being a third world country. It's their lack of common sense that astounds me. First off, who tries to get into a bus with a sledgehammer? Second, if you're planning to smash the door/window with a sledgehammer, you would at least check if someone is there and either warn them or smash another window.
i don't know what to say,i won't defend what happened but i don't know about the sledgehammer incident,i haven't heard that someone was killed because of that,the negotiation was doing well at first so snipers wasn't needed at daytime,though i admit it ended up to a terrible disaster,at first i blame the media because they are the reason why the hijacker got angry but i think it's everyone's fault yah it sucks living in a third world country but i'm still a proud PINOY,our nation isn't the problem it's just the country that's why I want to break that curse. If there is such a thing as peace, I'll seize it! I'll never give up!
I don't see why they wouldn't just lie to the guy. He wanted to be reinstated to the police. Just tell him he is and then arrest him.
Uhhhh The Philippines is NOT a third world country. Not in the colloquial sense at least. Try developing country.
Yup, they really messed up. It makes me wonder if they even had snipers, they would have had a clear shot and they missed it. And even after that, smashing in the doors with sledge hammers isn't going to do jack shit. They could've tried dropping some flash bangs or nerve gas down the bus skylights and detonated a breach charge on the door simultaneously and then stormed in. That's what I would've done.
Why wouldnt they just snipe him through the windows? This just seems ridiculous. Its a shame there were casualties.
Not through the side windows (they had curtains closed across them). Although the front windscreen could've been a possibility. They missed the perfect opportunity though, when the door was open and he was in plain sight. It would have only taken one well placed bullet and it would all be over.
This makes me wonder if they even had trained officers to be honest. Wouldn't busting into a bus with a sledgehammer not only cause casualties to anyone right next to the door (as it did), but be a dead giveaway that the police have just entered the bus, giving the kidnapper reason to kill more hostages? And then trying to use a rope that just ended up breaking? The dude walked outside apparently 3 times, and no one took any shots at him? Even a leg shot would have sufficed. Like you said, a breaching charge, or some sort of stun or flashbang grenade would have worked great, giving them enough time to find a better way into the bus, and taken him down. And as everyone's mentioned, where's the snipers? You'd think a group formed to take down such people would have at least one trained sniper.
Do you really need training to know to check if someone's head is there before you swing a sledgehammer?
This will not work. The hijacker as an ex-police agent, a top ranking one. He would have requested the authorities make the negotiations publicly, and be recorded and broadcasted. These kinds of agreements are similar to contracts as they are bound by law and cannot be revoked after the event. Additional news: Filipino media is seen opening the coffin of the deceased (these coffins are on their way to Hong Kong) and taking photographs and videos. Are these supposed to be artifacts in a museum? Have you no respect at all...? *Any subjectivity in my posts are not aimed at the entire Filipino populations, rather solely at those @#%& involved in this incident I will post the video later when I find the link. Edit: here's video: (having trouble posting video *.* ) A flash grenade also will not work (just thought about this today). He is a trained professional with a gun in hand, if he is hit with a flash grenade he will start shooting blindly. Most passengers are very close to him, some point-blank range. The flash grenade might cause even more casualties.
"A promise extracted under force is not a promise that you are required to honour. Nobody wants to give in to the demands of terrorists, but in a situation like this, which did not involve a terrorist group, or release of prisoners, they could have just accepted his demands. He could be reinstated in the police - and then be immediately put in prison for life for hostage taking." The Philippines authorities did in fact give in to the gunman's demands, but too little, too late. One message promised to review his case, while he wanted it formally dismissed. A second message reinstating him as a police officer only arrived after the shooting had started."
The shit that goes on these days... But wow, rope? I've heard of stupid, but seriously, these guys need some common sense. Get some negotiators out there that can actually reason, and once the hostages are out, storm him. And yeah, where the hell was the sniper?
