OLONGAPO CITY PNP, LGU LAUDED FOR HOSTAGE HANDLING
OLONGAPO CITY –The aunt of a 15-year-old hostage victim1 conveyed her gratitude to the Olongapo City Police Office (OCPO) and to other incident responders for the safe rescue of her niece from the hostage-taking crisis last April 3, 2012 at Arthur Street, Barangay West Bajac-Bajac.
“Maraming salamat sa pagkakaligtas nyo sa pamangkin ko,” said the aunt, who also acts as the victim’s guardian, at the city government flag raising ceremonies this Monday.
“In behalf of her parents abroad, nagpapasalamat po ako kay City Director Christopher Tambungan pati kay Station 1 Commander Police Senior Inspector Vicente Gabarda na tumayong negotiator,” she added.
The aunt also thanked James L. Gordon Memorial Hospital for the conduct of medico-legal and the City Social Welfare and Development Office for the victim’s counseling.
It can be recalled that the OCPO successfully rescued the minor female victim and seized the hostage taker, Francisco Mamolo, 30 years old, in a no-fire assault operation conducted by the OCPO’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) operatives after more or less 12 hours of negotiating with the suspect and cautiously assessing the situation.
The victim’s family already filed charges against Mamolo including violation of R.A. 7610, the Act Providing for Stronger Deterrence and Special Protection Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination, and for other purposes.
Meanwhile, Tambungan commended the performance of the police force at the hostage crisis. He also recognized the efforts of the Special Action Force (SAF), the Barangay Peace-keeping Action Team of Bgy. West Bajac-Bajac, Office of Traffic Management and Public Safety for their valuable assistance and the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO) which served as the stand-by medical responder during the incident. DRRMO head Angie Layug personally brought the victim back to her relatives after the rescue operation.
“Not all hostage-taking negotiations and assaults end up successfully like what happened in Manila a few years back,” said Layug who also led the OPLAN SUMVAC Incident Management Team from April 2-9, 2012, “ so we commend our police force for effectively resolving the hostage crisis.”