ShareThisMANILA – The United States government is giving the Philippine National Police (PNP) US$ 1.4 million in assistance to enhance its anti-kidnapping, hostage negotiations and rescue training on the heels of the August 23 bloody hostage-taking at the Quirino Grandstand that killed eight Hong Kong tourists.
During his visit in Camp Crame Friday, US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. initially gave US$ 150,000 to the PNP leadership.
Thomas said the US assistance would have the PNP’s anti-kidnapping, hostage negotiation training program as he noted the tragic hostage-taking at the Quirino Grandstand.
“Even without links to international criminal organizations, crimes can become international incidents, as we saw in the tragic events of August 23. The threats cross our borders-on land as well as at sea. No country can face them alone,” said Thomas.
“Crimes may occur in local communities but more and more they are linked to national and international crime networks who engage in smuggling of drugs, weapons and even people. What is worse is that illicit proceeds of those crimes often provide funding for terrorism,” added Thomas.
Thomas also turned over three pick up trucks, six motorcycles and equipment to enhance the forensics capability of the PNP.
Last August 23, former Senior Insp. Rolando Mendoza took a Hong Thai tourist bus, loaded with more than 20 Hong Kong tourists, as hostages. The 11-hour standoff ended in the much-criticized police assault.
In the end, eight Hong Kong tourists and Mendoza were killed.
No less than President Benigno Aquino III ordered a top level investigation of the case.