Palace upset over RP flag in Mendoza's coffin
08/27/2010
Philippine President Benigno Aquino III (L) shakes hands with Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Liu Jianchao before their meeting at the Premier Guest House, Malacanang Palace in Manila August 24, 2010.
The Philippine flag draped over the coffin of hostage-taker Rolando Mendoza has been removed, Malacañang said Friday afternoon after the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines cried foul over the matter.
According to presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda, Tanauan City Mayor Sonia Torres-Aquino informed them that the flag, which Mendoza's family placed on top of his coffin on Thursday, has been removed.
Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning head Ricky Carandang said it was the mayor of Tanauan who ordered the removal of the flag.
Mendoza's remains lie in his Batangas hometown. Mendoza, a dismissed police officer, died on Monday after police assaulted the bus, where he held hostage 21 Hong Kong tourists and four Filipinos, for 11 hours.
Before the assault, Mendoza was believed to have shot eight of the 21 tourists from Hong Kong. The Aquino administration's handling of the incident has drawn criticism locally and internationally.
Carandang had earlier said the government had nothing to do with the placement of the Philippine flag on Mendoza's coffin.
"This was an act of the family," Carandang said. "Nobody from the government has ordered that."
Earlier in the day, the Chinese embassy said a "cold-blooded" hostage-taker like Mendoza does not deserve to have the Philippine flag placed over his coffin. (See: China condemns draping of RP flag over hostage taker's coffin)
"The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines condemns the brutality of the criminal and expresses its strong indignation over this irritating act," the embassy said in a statement.
"The person who deserves a national flag at funeral should be someone of heroism, decency and integrity, and not someone who inflicts atrocity on innocent lives. This is nothing but a smear on the dignity of the Philippine national flag," it said.
In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs said there are rules and protocol with respect to the manner of display of the Philippine flag.
"We do not consider the display of the Philippine flag in this particular instance as conforming with existing rules," said the DFA.
Mendoza was fired from his post as chief of the Manila Police's Mobile Patrol Unit in 2008 after he was charged with robbery and extortion.
He demanded for reinstatement into the service when he took over the bus on Monday. — RSJ/VVP, GMANews.TV