PHILIPPINES MEDIA MEMBERS BLAMED FOR RESCUE OPERATION'S FAILURE

MANILA, Philippine - President Benigno Aquino said that five members of the media have been named in the report which sought to identify those who should be blamed for the botched rescue operation of the hostage crisis in which eight Hong Kong tourists and their hostage-taker were killed on August 23.
The members of the media were among a total of 15 people the Incident Investigation and Review Committee recommended should be charged for the incident.

• The Incident Investigation and Review Committee recommended that Erwin Tulfo and Mike Rogas(photo) of the Radio Mindanao Network should be charged for allegedly contributing to the botched rescue operation in Manila's tourist area, Aquino said in a press conference at the presidential palace prior to his departure for the US on Monday evening.
• He did not identify the three other members of the media who had been blamed.
• The members of the media reacted strongly to the accusations that they were to blame for the rescue operation's failure, saying that they had become a convenient scapegoat for the government's inability to handle the situation. Broadcasters blamed the IIRC for its "wrong-sided report".
• Aquino said the IIRC had also recommended charges be filed against retired police chief Jesus Versoza, Interior Undersecretary Rico Puno, Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez and her deputy, National Capital Region Police Office Director Leocadio Santiago, and Manila Police District chief Rodolfo Magtibay.

Sources told Gulf News that the IIRC report would be officially released by Justice Leila de Lima, with whom he had met to move the committee's recommendations through the government's proper channels.

Source: Gulf News