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China Angry At Hostage-Taker's Funeral
11:48am UK, Saturday August 28, 2010
Lulu Sinclair
China has expressed anger that a Philippines flag covered the coffin of the hostage taker in Manila responsible for the deaths of eight tourists from Hong Kong.
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The Chinese embassy said the placing of the flag on the coffin made it seem as though Rolando Mendoza had died a hero, not a killer. The Philippines government said the flag had been placed there by Mendoza's family and been removed later by a city official. Scores of friends and family attended the funeral in Tanauan, gathering first at the home of the former senior inspector.
Police storm the bus, leaving eight tourists and the hostage taker dead
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Mendoza's son, Vismark, who is also a police officer, wore his police uniform, in full view of a group of journalists from Hong Kong. "There are so many mourners because he was a good man. You never heard about him doing anything bad," said family friend Mark Torres.
Torres said he could not explain Mendoza's violent actions, adding that he had never heard of any misdeeds committed by the former policeman. "I don't think he went insane. He just believed what he was fighting for," he said. "I can't really say that he was justified, because people died. But we can't say he was totally wrong, either."
One of the former policeman's citations
Mendoza, a decorated officer who had been sacked over extortion charges, took the bus hostage in the capital, Manila, on Monday, demanding to be reinstated in the police force. This led to a 12-hour siege of the bus and muddled police negotiations that ended in tragedy with eight of the tourists and Mendoza being shot dead. The bungled rescue has enraged Hong Kong and embarrassed the Philippine government. The results of an investigation will be presented to Hong Kong authorities, a Presidential spokesman said.
