The Malacanang presidential palace on Saturday clarified that President Benigno Aquino III is not resigning from his post despite taking full responsibility for the August 23 Manila hostage tragedy. Moreover, Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma underscored that Aquino's admission does not automatically absolve police and local government officials who bungled the hostage rescue bid, leading to the death of eight Hong Kong tourists and the hostage-taker, former police officer Rolando Mendoza after an 11-hour standoff. “President Aquino is not resigning. He received a clear mandate from more than 15 million Filipinos,” Coloma said in a radio interview. He explained that the president admitted responsibility for the hostage fiasco in the “context” that he is the highest official of the land. “Officials under him are not automatically absolved by his admission. The president is merely emphasizing he is accountable to the people who elected him. That was the context of his statement,” Coloma said. The Malacanang official also defended Aquino's admission, saying it was meant to show he is a leader who takes responsibility for his actions. “His statement may have come more than a week after the incident, but it is still timely. It shows he wants to live up to the expectations of the Filipinos who voted for him as a leader who takes responsibility for his actions,” Coloma said. Asked about the Hong Kong legislature's demand for an apology and compensation, Coloma said: “President Aquino has apologized and this has been acknowledged by Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang.” Coloma said Aquino has also announced that his government is studying the compensation issue. Earlier on Friday, Aquino told reporters that he is taking full responsibility for the hostage rescue tragedy. He also said he is taking control of the Philippine National Police for the moment. “At the end of the day, I am responsible for everything that has transpired,” he said. Mendoza took a busload of tourists hostage last Aug. 23 in a desperate attempt to clear his name after he wad charged with extortion and dismissed from the police service. The standoff, carried live on global television, came to a bloody end when Mendoza started shooting his hostages, prompting the police to storm the bus and rescue the hostages. Meanwhile, Aquino warned a retired Army sergeant who earlier threatened to also engage in hostage-taking if the military does not grant him the benefits he is demanding. “That is extremely wrong. He should desist from it and he should go through the process,” Aquino said, referring to the threats issued by retired Technical Sergeant Charmie Palencia. Palencia has been making calls to the Senate threatening to hold civilians hostage if the Army does not grant him his benefits. The president said Palencia can write to his office to ensure that his complaints are acted upon. Aquino warned that he could not tolerate such threats as he reminded Palencia of possible criminal charges if he continues to make such threats. “If a wrong was committed to him, doing another wrong will not rectify the situation,” the president said.
