Hong Kong forensic experts on Monday inspected the bullet-peppered bus in which a hijacker killed eight tourists in Manila last week, as the Philippines tried to calm China's outrage over the bloodshed. Philippines assured forensic experts from the Chinese territory Monday that they were free to conduct their own investigation of last week's hostage tragedy and that they will have the “full assistance” of Philippine authorities. The Philippine National Police (PNP) made the assurance after the Hong Kong forensic team was temporarily prevented last weekend from inspecting the bus where dismissed Police Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza held hostage 21 Hong Kong tourists and four Filipinos, eventually killing eight of the tourists before he was shot dead by a police assault team. Before the incident could add more strains to Philippine-Hong Kong relations, the PNP quickly took a step back, saying it was just a miscommunication problem that was eventually ironed out. PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr. even said the Hong Kong forensic team will have “constructive possession” of the bus. PNP Metro Manila police chief Director Leocadio Santiago Jr. said the PNP's technicians and experts will be at the disposal of the Hong Kong investigators. He also said the PNP is open to a “joint” investigation with the Hong Kong police. He said this will prove that the PNP is serious in conducting a thorough probe of the incident and that there will be “no whitewash.” The Hong Kong team is headed by Assistant Commissioner of Police Ng Ka Sing and Albert Man Tat Shing, superintendent of the Hong Kong HK police force for organized crime and triad committee. “They're already there. We are transparent. We want to show not just to fellow Filipinos but to the whole world…that we want a transparent and comprehensive investigation,” Cruz said in a television interview. Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Monday barred local authorities from issuing premature disclosures on their investigation. The Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior and Local Government were earlier tasked to conduct a parallel probe of the August 23 hostage tragedy. “There would be no premature disclosure of findings, observations, unnecessary comments until the investigation is finished, until we submit a report,” De Lima said. De Lima issued the gag order following reports quoting the PNP that the eight hostages who died inside the bus were killed by the hostage-taker's bullets, not by the police. De Lima also instructed that Philippine forensic investigators to first complete their tests before allowing their Hong Kong counterparts to conduct their own probe. For instance, Philippine policemen have to finish their bullet trajectory tests first before Hong Kong investigators can do the same, De Lima said. The Hong Kong investigators said they accept that the Philippine government has the primary jurisdiction in conducting the investigation into the incident.
