'I'm sure Mendoza shot tourists' - driver
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/09/07/10/im-sure-mendoza-shot-tourists-driver
MANILA, Philippines - Apparently disoriented, the bus driver on that fateful day on August 23 thought he saw each and every passenger shot dead by the gunman.
At that point in time, all he could think of was to survive. With all his might, he took a couple of minutes to poke and ruin the handcuffs that kept him still for almost 12 hours of the entire siege.
Describing in detail the events of that day to the Incident Investigation and Review Committee, driver Alberto Lubang said he could not anymore remember if the passengers even cried for their lives.
All he remembered was the deafening shot from dismissed police officer Rolando Mendoza’s gun.
“Sigurado po ako na siya, binaril niya mga pasahero. Isa-isang putok. Yung mahaba (M-16 rifle)…Wala ako naririnig (cries). Basta, isa-isa, nilapitan niya,” he said.
(I’m sure, he shot the passengers. One after the other, using the rifle…I could not remember the cries anymore.)
He even pleaded for his life, telling Mendoza: “Pakawalan niyo ako. Maawa na kayo sa akin.” (Release me now. Take pity on me)
Mendoza only told him: “Bahala ka na diyan.” (It’s your life, that’s your choice.)
After a few minutes, the public saw on live television how he escaped, jumping out of the window of the bus, running towards blazing lights and telling everyone, “Patay na silang lahat, patay na silang lahat.” (They’re all dead.)
Hitch-hiker
Lubang remembered Mendoza ascend the bus at around 9:45 a.m. at the Fort Bonifacio area asking for a ride, despite a warning that the company does not allow hitch-hikers.
Mendoza, however, insisted, telling everyone later that “Sorry, hostage na kayo.” (You’re now my hostages.)
Lubang did not believe at first, until Mendoza told him to proceed to the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta.
There, he and the tourist guide Diana Chang, was allowed to call their employees and to tell them they were already in a hostage situation.
The review committee several times asked him the same set of questions, noting the discrepancy between his statement and that with the police earlier interviewed in an executive session.
Police supposedly claimed they received news of the hostage incident at around 9:07 a.m., ready to respond to the hostage crisis.
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, however, noted “everybody realizes that this is crucial…Sino ang tama, sino ang mali? They said (police) they received the information at around 9:07 a.m. If it’s true 9:45 pa kayo umalis dun [at the same time that he and Chang were able to inform their employers], malaki ang deperensya. What is this?”
Lubang tries to remember
Admitting he was just estimating the time, Lubang, however, remained unperturbed and recounted the series of events on that day.
He said he only noticed the police in the area at around 11:00 a.m.
By that time, Mendoza had already allowed a hostage to get off the bus after claiming she was suffering from loose bowel movement. He also allowed Chang, the tourist guide, to accompany the passenger out.
Lubang, observing the passengers from his rear view mirror, said “nakaupo lang sila, hindi gumagalaw, hindi umiiyak.” (They were all still, no one was moving, no one was crying.)
He said Mendoza was calm during the early hours of the bus siege, telling even the passengers “makipag-cooperate lang kayo at hindi ko kayo sasaktan.” (You all cooperate with me and I will not hurt you.)
He even told them about the case that triggered his actions, Lubang recounted.
Mendoza notices brother
Mendoza was even calm during the early hours of the ordeal, insisting that he only wanted out of the criminal case lodged before the Office of the Ombudsman, Lubang said.
At around 3:00 p.m., Mendoza noticed from inside of the bus how Police Chief Inspector Romeo Salvador disarmed his brother, Gregorio.
“Sabi niya sa akin, ‘kapatid ko iyon, tawagin mo 2 negosyador (including Superintendent Orlando Yebra). Sinigawan ko po, lumapit naman, kasama yung kapatid,” he said.
(He told me, ‘that’s my brother. Call the 2 negotiators.’ The others went near us.)
By that time, Mendoza had already informed the negotiator to return his brother’s gun.
Lubang said the gunman was pacified somewhat when Yebra passed on to him a call from Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno, informing him that his case is already being studied by the Ombudsman.
“Puro ‘yes, sir’ ‘opo, sir’ lang ang naririnig ko,” Lubang said. (He only said ‘yes, sir.’)
No invectives, bribe
Mendoza was presumably talking to Deputy Ombudsman Emilio Gonzalez III on the phone.
Different from the statements of resource persons who have already appeared before the review committee, Lubang said, however, he never heard Mendoza hurl invectives against the other person on the other end of the line.
He also did not hear Mendoza say “humihingi ka pa P150,000,” as what the other negotiators supposedly heard.
Gonzalez has already denied he was involved in any bribery case.
What Lubang only caught was Mendoza telling Gonzalez “kung may mamamatay, kasalanan mo ito.” (If somebody dies, it will be your fault)
‘Turn the television on’
At 5:00 p.m., Mendoza asked Lubang to turn on the television.
At around that same time, the gunman received the brown envelope containing the Ombudsman’s letter.
Lubang could not remember if the media called Mendoza or the other way around. He could only remember that the gunman passed on to him a cell phone so he could open the brown envelope.
Mendoza told him: “Kausapin mo muna yan, si Mike Enriquez yan.” (Talk to him, that’s Mike Enriquez)
Lubang answered the phone. The broadcaster on the other line supposedly told him: “Mr. Driver, kumusta po kayo diyan.” (Mr. Driver, how are you all there?)
The caller also introduced himself as “Mike Enriquez”.
Asked if it was indeed Enriquez on the other end, Lubang said he could not be sure since the voice was “matining, maliit” (small voice). Enriquez, a GMA-7 anchor, has a loud and booming voice.
Based on earlier testimonies, it was RMN’s Mike Rogas who had interviewed Mendoza during the crucial moments of the hostage crisis.
It was then that Mendoza talked to the reporter, informing him that the letter was “mere garbage.”
Brother's pleas
Lubang also remembered Gregorio trigger further the ire of his brother by saying: “Tol, yung baril ko, hindi pa binabalik.” (Brother, they have not returned my gun)
Asked what could have incited Mendoza to open fire, Lubang said “nung pagkatapos po mabasa ang sulat, nagalit na siya.” (He got mad after reading the letter.)
He said Mendoza also noticed on live television that police had started to reign in his brother.
“Naririnig ko na lang siya, paulit-ulit, ‘Pakawalan niyo yan, Kung hindi, uubusin ko itong mga ito,’” he said. (I heard him say several times, ‘Release him, or I’ll call all of them here.’)
In only a matter of minutes, the shooting spree began.
Driver breaks handcuffs
Upon hearing the shots, Lubang said he used a nail file to break the handcuff used on him.
Despite the fear he was next to be shot, Lubang said he risked everything to break free.
Upon escaping, he was later brought to the command post for his debriefing.
Asked if he gave consistent statements to the police, he said: “Nakita ko po sila e kung papano binaril. Nung matapos, ang naisip ko, tapos na. Ang nasa isip ko, patay na sila lahat.”
(I saw how they were shot. When I could not hear anything anymore, I assumed they were all dead.)
Pressed by Teresita Ang See to describe further the incidents, Lubang said he does not remember if police had asked him of details about the bus, how it could be opened or used for the police’s tactics team.
He also said high-ranking officials were not already at the command post at that time.
