Aquino - Hostage Crisis Will Not Define My Administration

President Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III on Thursday he expressed regret over the handling of the August 23 hostage crisis that left eight Hong Kong hostages and the hostage-taker himself dead.

"This incident will not define this administration. In the end, my administration will be judged on what we have accomplished and what we will accomplish in the coming years: a reduction in poverty and the restoration of a government that is honest in its efforts to build a better nation," Aquino uttered during a rare panel interview with TV news anchors from three broadcast networks of the Philippines.

Aquino said he was repeatedly assured that the Special Action Force (SAF), which he said is capable of handling such a situation, would immediately be deployed to the Quirino Grandstand in case there is a need for a tactical assault.

"Nung nangyari na po yung pagbaril sa gulong ng bus, yung napakatagal na pagapasok ng SWAT, yung hindi alam yung gagawin ng SWAT, dun po talagang napuno na tayo na yung assurances na binibigay sa atin eh hindi po natupad at tumungo tayo at hinanap na natin yung mga opisyal na concerned," he said.

Aquino said a letter of apology and the IIRC's findings will be presented to the Hong Kong government by a high-level delegation led by Vice-President Jejomar Binay once the probe is finished.

The president said further possible tension with Hong Kong was avoided when the Philippine government chose not to respond negatively to what he called an "insulting" letter from the Hong Kong government after the crisis.

"Yung sulat ng opisyal na galing sa gobyerno ng Hong Kong na sa ating tingin ay nakaka-insulto ay hindi na rin po natin ni-respond, dinaan na lang po natin sa kanilang People’s Republic of China government na iparating na hindi ho yata tama ito hong sulat na ipinadala, hindi natin nagustuhan yung tono," he said.

The panel interview with Mel Tiangco of GMA Network, Ted Failon of ABS-CBN, and Paolo Bediones of TV5, conducted in Malacañang, was held to settle the questions regarding the president's handling of the hostage crisis.

Picture Taking: Policemen After Hostage Crisis, Re-training To Follow

I recently came across this photo spread over the Internet which was shared just minutes ago by my friend in Plurk. You can see here these 'gentle' men smiling and posing right near the bus which was hi-jacked. But let me take you to the whole subject of this article. In an interview with the Philippine Inquirer, Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo admitted that mistakes had been made.

Philippine police have admitted they did not have the skills, equipment or training to handle Monday's bus siege, in which eight Hong Kong tourists were killed after being taken hostage. The force said talks with the gunman had been handled poorly, and relations with the media had broken down. Security experts, survivors and Chinese officials have all criticised the Philippine authorities.

They even had an article on their website that the Philippines didn’t need the deadliest attack on foreign tourists to expose the flaws in its security forces.

The Philippine National Police, once again,  highlights a chronic systemic failure in its operations. Problems like shortage of vehicles, radios and fuel in a country prone to kidnappings, gun violence and attacks by insurgents. These problems were shown and even exposed worldwide on all forms of media last on Aug. 23 when an ex-officer took 25 people hostage on a tourist bus in Manila to protest his dismissal -- and eight members of a Hong Kong tour group died in the rescue attempt. One interview says that the assault team had "inadequate" skills and failed to control the crowd or media. The hostage drama came to an end when police marksmen killed the gunman. He was identified as 55-year-old Rolando Mendoza, a former policeman who had seized the bus in a desperate bid to get his job back.

Buddhist monks led prayers for the victims in Manila on Tuesday, while angry demonstrators converged on the Philippine embassy in Hong Kong. The Philippines has promised a thorough investigation and is sending a delegation to Hong Kong to explain what happened. Of 25 people initially taken hostage, nine were freed after initial negotiations. The UK Foreign Office said two of them were British nationals. The Philippine driver then fled the bus, leaving 15 people on board with the gunman until the end of the siege. Unconfirmed reports say at least one of the dead was a dual Chinese-Canadian citizen.

Bloomberg correspondent in Bangkok, Daniel Ten Kate, in his article said that the tourist deaths underscore the risks of traveling and working in a country ranked 130th out of 149 in the Global Peace Index, which weighs factors such as violent crimes, access to weapons and political instability. Seven foreign chambers of commerce representing companies such as Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Europe’s largest oil company, and Citigroup Inc., the third- biggest U.S. bank, asked the government in May to rescind an order to publish the names of top taxpayers on safety concerns. Tourism to the Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands with Asia’s highest unemployment rate, has lagged behind the rest of the region. The nation attracted 3 million tourists last year, about a tenth the number that visited Malaysia, according to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

POLICE OPERATION DURING THE MANILA AUG.23 HOSTAGE CRISIS:

Changing the security environment will require an overhaul of the national police so officers have the right equipment and training, said Ian Bryson, a Singapore-based analyst for Southeast Asia and the Pacific at Control Risks. Herman Joseph Kraft, executive director of Manila's Institute for Strategic and Development Studies said that this is a systemic problem.  The Manila police department is supposed to be the largest in the Philippines, the best trained and best equipped. But we saw how far below standard they fall.

“Bigger long-term issues are the ready availability of firearms, the culture of violence of criminal gangs and how it is fostered by family dynasties in politics,” he said. “It’s all connected: the guns, the violence, the money, the crime. A penny novella played every day.”

Chinese Nationals Killed in Manila Hostage Crisis, Hostage-Taker Dead

A tragic death and bloodshed ended the 12-hour hostage drama aboard a Philippine bus yesterday , with at least seven Chinese tourists dead along with the disgruntled ex-policeman who hijacked the vehicle and demanded his job back, officials said.

The killing of eight Hong Kong tourists taken hostage on a Manila bus has generated a huge outpouring of grief, frustration and anger in the Chinese territory.


Police storm a bus where a former policeman was holding a group of Hong Kong tourists, killing him but unable to save all of the hostages.

Mendoza was formerly with the Manila police's mobile patrol. Mendoza was a former recipient of the 1986 Ten Outstanding Policemen of the Philippines of the Jaycees International. It can be recalled that civil engineer Jun Ducat, a day-care center owner, held more than 30 youngsters and teachers hostage on a bus some time in 2007. The standoff, which Ducat used to denounce corruption and demand better lives for impoverished children, lasted about 10 hours.

The crisis began when the dismissed policeman, Rolando Mendoza, 55, armed with a M16 rifle seized the busload of Hong Kong tourists to demand his reinstatement in the force.

According to newspaper reports from 2008, he was among five officers who had been charged with 32 counts of illegal detention and abduction, illegal possession of explosives and illegal possession of firearms  after a Manila hotel chef filed a complaint alleging the policemen falsely accused him of using drugs to extort money.



The Hostage Scene:
Amid heavy rains, policemen on Monday night started assaulting the tourist bus where a dismissed police officer was holding hostage at least 17 Chinese nationals, a report on GMA News' "24 Oras" said.

Rapid fire was heard at around 8:18 p.m., the live report said. A civilian was hit by a stray bullet and was rushed to hospital.

The police immobilized the bus by shooting at its tires.

At least two teargas canisters were lobbed into the bus as policemen struggled to open the door.

Moments after shots were fired, the driver of the bus, who was earlier reported handcuffed to the steering wheel, escaped. The shots forced media men covering the hostage crisis to scamper for safety.

In the morning, police sharpshooters took positions around the white-blue-red bus. The road was sealed off as officers negotiated with the hostage-taker.

In the afternoon, Mendoza released two women, three children, a diabetic man and three Filipinos.
While releasing some of his hostages, Mendoza demanded that his son be brought to Manila via an Air Force helicopter. But Philippine Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Miguel Okol said, "There is no official request so far. We're monitoring the situation."

Mendoza wrote some of his demands on paper and posted it on the bus windows.

Before noon, he posted message about his demands:
"Big mistake to correct a big wrong decision."
"Big deal will start after 3 p.m. today."
"Three p.m. today dead lock."

Later Mendoza asked hostage negotiators — Superintendent Orlando Yebra and Chief Inspector Romeo Salvador — to load up another gallon of gasoline into the air-conditioned bus. Earlier in the day, he asked that the bus be refueled.  He sought for an interview with a broadcast journalist to help him negotiate with authorities for his demand to be reinstated to work.


The Tragic Death of Mendoza
8/23/2010

Six captives survived, four of whom were seen crawling out the back door of the bus after Philippine police stormed it Monday evening when the hostage-taker started shooting at the 15 Chinese tourists inside, said police Senior Superintendent Nelson Yabut.

He said the hostage-taker was killed with a sniper shot to the head after he wounded a police sharpshooter.

One other hostage was hospitalized in critical condition, and five others were unharmed. Officials have yet to disclose the fate of the remaining two hostages.

VIDEO FOOTAGE (Ending):

Official: Int'l aid for Pakistan floods over $800M

According to recent news, the world has totaled a very big amount of money, given or pledged, summing up to more than $800 million to help Pakistan cope with massive floods, the foreign minister said Sunday, as a surging river in the south led authorities to urge thousands more people to evacuate.

Pakistan is grateful for the international assistance, which came after the United Nations appealed for $460 million in aid for the deluged country, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the the total commitments and pledges that Pakistan has got so far are $815.58 million.

 "In these circumstances, when the West and Europe and America are going through a recession ... this kind of solidarity for Pakistan, I think, is very encouraging.", Foreign Minister Mahmood Qureshi said in Islamabad.

The floods began in late July in the northwest after exceptionally heavy monsoon rains, expanding rivers that have since swamped eastern Punjab province and Sindh province in the south. The deluge has affected about one-fifth of Pakistan's territory, straining the civilian government as it also struggles against al-Qaida and Taliban violence.

At least 6 million people have been made homeless and 20 million affected overall.

Aid flowed relatively slowly to Pakistan in the first weeks of the crisis, apparently in part because many countries were unaware of the vast scope of the damage. A relatively low death toll — around 1,500 people — may have contributed to misimpressions, analysts have said.

The U.S. has promised $150 million to help the country whose support it considers critical to winning the war in Afghanistan. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also urged nations to step up aid after a visit to Pakistan.

2NE1 Comeback This September To Promote 3 Tracks Simultaneously

An extraordinary and remarkable statement by YG Founder Yang Hyun Suk revealed their plan will be promoting not one, not two, but three tracks simultaneously at one given period of time for the female hip-hop quartet 2NE1 !

Decision like this is so bizarre in the K-pop industry (or perhaps any other music industries out there), since most artists tend to promote only one, two at max, song at a time. Also, it has been feared that triple promotion is quite risky and adventurous as well having such a large amount of money at stake.

2NE1’s comeback album To Anyone will be released on September 9th, along with three never-before-seen music videos.

Founder of YG, Yang Hyun Suk expressed, “As a music producer, I’ve heard the ‘double title track’ promotional method a couple of times. However, this is my first time hearing of three title tracks. The reason we’ve decided to choose this path anyway is because our wish to spread 2NE1’s various unique music styles is bigger than our desire to win first place.”

Many professionals have expressed their concerns toward YG’s decision. If three tracks will be promoted, an unbelievable amount of money will have to be spent on making the music videos for all the songs. Also, the rankings on various music charts will be in mess, which would cause a great deal of damage.

Moreover for fans, 2NE1TV Season 2 is also planned to start airing into the airwaves  same month, September . So stay tuned!

Taeyang's New Single Music Video for'I’ll Be There' Unveiled!

 Big Bang’s Taeyang  informed the public regarding his new single I’ll Be There just yesterday and finally, fans out there will get a chance to see the MV for the said song!

The Music Video for 'I’ll Be There' was unveiled just a few minutes ago through Taeyang’s official YouTube account.

Taeyang showcases his full fierce choreography of the song with the setting and theme for this New Music Video for 'I'll Be There' on a dark, mysterious and creepy grave and at the same time showcasing Taeyang's hot body making everyone feeling so 'alive'!

Taeyang's 'I'll Be There' Music Video (New Single)

Muralitharan defends captain Sangakkara with Sehwag's Failed Century

Sangakkara (center) during a presscon

Sri Lanka's spin star Muttiah Muralitharan, who retired recently has strongly defended captain Kumar Sangakkara, saying he would have had no role to play in denying Virendra Sehwag his century and that Suraj Randiv bowled the no-ball of his own accord.

Sri Lankan cricket board was examining stump microphone audios to determine whether captainKumar Sangakkara or any of his teammates is involved in the said issue.

Sources said that SLC had sought the tapes from the official broadcasters to investigate as what transpired between the bowler and his teammates during the fag end of the tri-series match.

Sehwag was just one short of his 13th ODI hundred when Randiv, who had not bowled a no ball in the Test or ODI series this season, bowled one which was hit by the opener for a six. However, it did not count because the no ball amounted to India's winning run leaving Sehwag on an unbeaten 99.

According to audio tapes, captain Sangakkara had heard instructing Randiv in Sinhalese "If he hits the ball, he gets the run". Although it appeared to be an innocuous comment, some TV channels were interpreting it as an attempt to influence the young bowler to overstep the line and deny Sehwag what could have been his 13th ODI century.

Sangakkara has, however, maintained that he had only asked Randiv to keep the ball tight and not allow Sehwag score a run. According to a SLC source, the report of the manager, who has been asked to initiate an inquiry into the incident, would be submitted to the board on Wednesday.

Sangakkara hugs Muralitharan during his retirement party

China is New Second-Largest Economy next to USA

China has officially claimed the title as the world’s second-largest economy next to the United States after erstwhile no.2 Japan suffered a significant fall in gross domestic product in the second quarter compared to three months ago.

The Japanese government announced on Monday that the country’s annualized GDP growth in the second quarter was only 0.4 percent, a big drop compared to the first-quarter growth of 4.4 percent. Japan’s second-quarter numbers suggest that global recovery from recession is not yet in full swing despite the continuing surge of the Chinese economy.



China is likely to hold on to its new status at least up to the end of the year, as its annual growth is projected at about 10 percent compared to Japan’s 2 to 3 percent. Japan had been the No.2 economy since 1968, when it overtook what was then West Germany.

However, despite its emergence as an economic power, China is still far from Japan when it comes to per capita income. Japan boasts a per capita income of $37,800 a year as of 2009, making the country’s people among the wealthiest in the world. China, on the other hand, has a per capita of only $3,600 despite its booming economy.

Korean boyband Teen Top on MTV USA, Korea's 1st Time on US TV

The Korean boyband called Teen Top and its agency T.O.P Media on Tuesday said that a program called "Vice Guide to Everything," about how the boys train to become idol singers, will air on the music channel starting September. This is the first time that MTV USA will feature our idols from the K-Pop empire and the first time that  an idol group from Korea will be featured on American television.

For three months starting January, MTV USA had searched all of Asia for idols who have yet to make a debut, basing their research on how much musical talent and star quality they have, as well as reviewing the training system they would undergo.

A producer from MTV USA flew into Korea in April, shooting the process of how the boy band undergoes training in dancing, singing, a second language, miming, mannerisms and doing interviews.

"Neal, who is the lead vocalist, has the tone of a young Michael Jackson. They are fit to compete in markets overseas too because the English skills of one of their members is at the level of a native speaker," said a MTV associate who interacted directly with the boys on the show.

Teen Top, a six-member group, have backgrounds as child actors and were chosen through auditions at major theme park Lotte World.

Star-studded Asia's 'Next Magazine Entertainment Award'

The magazine that stars love to hate spent the past 8 weeks selecting the top entertainers in the industry. No matter how much they claim to despise Next Magazine, many top stars were present at the First Annual Entertainment Awards yesterday.

Jolin Tsai was the first to accept her award for Top Ten Most Popular Star of the year. She said the honor is well-deserved because she has been the the subject of countless Next Magazine cover stories.

Rainie Yang also received the Top Star award and surprised everyone by showing a little skin.

Rainie Yang wasn’t the only one showing her “sincerity” as ELVA Hsiao also came in a revealing outfit. Her dress was partly transparent in the front and back which showed off her black lingerie. The body-hugging design emphasized her hour-glass figure. Meanwhile, Ella represented S.H.E to accept the award for Most Popular Group.

Not to be outdone by the ladies, Show Luo displayed his “sincerity” by exposing his forehead. There is no word on whether his forehead is here to stay, or if it is a one-time only "showing". Jerry Yan also made a surprise appearance as he was not expected to attend. He graciously thanked Next Magazine for publishing his ugliest photos, so everyone would think he is actually better looking in person.

Some award recipients including Top Ten Entertainer Jay Chou, Most Popular Wife Dee Hsu (Xiao S) and Most Popular Host Matilda Tao (Tao Zi) chose not to attend.




LIST OF WINNERS:

Top Ten Most Popular Stars:
Show Luo, Vic Chou, Jay Chou, Jerry Yan, Jam Hsiao, ELVA Hsiao, Jolin Tsai, Mark Chao, Rainie Yang and Chang Yun Jing

Most Popular Actor: Vic Chou
Most Popular Singer: Show Luo
Most Popular Group: S.H.E
Most Popular Model: Bianca Bai
Most Popular Newcomer: Xiao Xiao Bin
Most Popular Otaku Goddess: Tia Li
Most Popular Wife: Dee Hsu


PHOTOGALLERY:

August Pakistan Flood, The Worst in Its History

The recent floodings in Pakistan is the worst in its history ever, specifically the worst flooding in nearly a century, according to UN officials. The disaster has already claimed the lives of 1,600 people and affected over four million people and left at least 1,600 dead.

As the Disasters Emergency Committee launches an emergency appeal to raise funds for victims of the devastating floods in Pakistan, British charities are scrambling to get aid to the worst affected regions.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Sunday he has never seen anything like the flood disaster in Pakistan after surveying the devastation and urged foreign donors to speed up assistance to the 20 million people affected.

Ban's comments reflect the concern of the international community about the unfolding disaster in Pakistan, which is battling al-Qaida and Taliban militants, has a weak and unpopular government, and an anemic economy propped up by international assistance.

"This has been a heart-wrenching day for me," Ban said after flying over the hard-hit areas with President Asif Ali Zardari. "I will never forget the destruction and suffering I have witnessed today. In the past I have witnessed many natural disasters around the world, but nothing like this."

Ban visited Myanmar after Cyclone Nargis devastated the country in May 2008, killing an estimated 138,000 people. He also flew to China's Sichuan province just days after an earthquake killed nearly 90,000 people in March 2008.

Patrick Fuller, from the British Red Cross, has been based in Islamabad for the past few days and visited many of the hardest-hit provinces.

He said the worst areas were "totally dependent" on outside help, and the International Red Cross was working with local partners to get a whole package of aid, such as tents, blankets, stoves and cooking pots, to about 35,000 families.

The world body has appealed for an initial $460 million to provide relief, but only 20 percent has been given.

President Zardari has been criticized for his response to the disaster, especially for going ahead with a state visit to Europe just as the crisis was unfolding. Zardari has visited victims twice since returning, but images of him at a family owned chateau while in France are likely to hurt him for months to come.

On Saturday, the prime minister said 20 million people had been made homeless in the disaster.

PHOTOGALLERY:

India eyes Google and Skype in security crackdown

Once it resolves security concerns with BlackBerrys, , which are now under threat of a ban, India may ask Google and Skype for greater access to encrypted information once it resolves security concerns.

The 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai, which were coordinated with satellite and cell phones, helped prompt a sweeping security review of telecommunications ahead of the Commonwealth Games — a major sporting event to be held in New Delhi in October.

Some analysts say more anonymous technologies — like the basic Nokia phones used by 10 gunmen who rampaged through Mumbai in November 2008, leaving 166 dead — and Gmail are more likely to be used to plan terror attacks than BlackBerry devices, which require reliable identity proof and contact information.



Last July 12, officials from India's Department of Telecommunications met with representatives of three telecom service provider groups to discuss interception and monitoring of encrypted communications by security agencies.

"There was consensus that there are more than one type of service for which solutions are to be explored," according to a copy of the minutes of the meeting obtained by The Associated Press. "Some of them are BlackBerry, Skype, Google etc. It was decided first to undertake the issue of BlackBerry and then the other services."

The officials' immediate concern was the BlackBerry, but they also plan to look at Google and other companies that use encryption for e-mail and messaging services, said Rajan Mathews, director general of the Cellular Operators Association of India, who was briefed on the meeting.

Google and Skype said Friday they haven't received any notices from the government.

On Thursday, India threatened to ban BlackBerry services unless the device's manufacturer makes them accessible to its security agencies by Aug. 31.

On Friday, Research In Motion Vice President Robert E. Crowe met with Home Ministry officials in New Delhi to try to avoid the ban.

For now, more humble devices may present a greater security threat than the BlackBerrys used by India's business elite.

KARA surprised Shibuya, Japan with a Big Crowd

Yesterday August 11, 2010.

A surprise appearance yesterday in central Shibuya by South Korean pop newcomers Kara drew an unexpectedly big crowd. With schools on summer break, the Tokyo shopping district was even more overflowing than usual with young people. So when the female pop quintet were announced on a stage in front of the iconic 109 building, a crowd quickly began to form. The group were making their major label debut in Japan and performed their debut single "Mister," which made it to No.5 on the Oricon daily chart rankings.

They were scheduled to appear for 30 minutes, including interviews and a photo shoot, but as the crowd built to an estimated 3,000 people and started spilling out onto the roads, it was decided to cut the event short after just the one song. Disappointed fans will have a chance to meet the group at an event in Shin Kiba on August 14.