A Hostage-taker's Final Hour (part 2)

PART II of RMN Interview with hostage-taker Capt. Rolando Mendoza

MENDOZA: Eh basta kung lalapit siya dun lang sa may bintana, hindi na ako magpapapasok ng media ngayon. (For as long as if he wants to approach it will only be near the window. I am no longer allowing the media inside)

MENDOZA: Sa bintana lang, sa bintana lang. (Just near the window)

ROGAS: Kamusta po yung mga hostage victim ngayon? (How are the hostage victims now?)

MENDOZA: Nanonood na sila ng TV ngayon dun sa live TV. (They’re watching tv now, live tv)

ROGAS: Opo… sige po.. sa pamamagitan po ni kasamang Erwin Tulfo na nakikinig ngayon, meron po ba kayong gustong iparating sa kanya na pu-pwede kayong ipa-negotiate dyan sa ground? (Yes. Through Erwin Tulfo who is listening right now, is there anything you want to be relayed to the [police / authorities on the] ground?)

MENDOZA: Ah kilala ko po yan ah. Talagang gusto po niyan eh kalaban niya ang pulis eh, kaya lang alam ko matinik sa baril yan baka mamaya may baril yan [laughs]. (Oh, I know him. He [Tulfo] really likes going against cops, but I know he’s good with guns, he might have one [on him])

ROGAS: Ah OK… Kapitan, meron po ba kayong kasama dyan na Pilipino na hostage victim? Pwede po ba naming makausap? (Oh okay ... Captain, do you have a Filipino hostage victim there with you? Can we talk to him?)

MENDOZA: Ah, eh, ang kuwan na lang dito eh yung driver nalang… Eh yung mga Pilipino eh pinababa ko na yung mga Pilipino. Eto, kausapin mo yung driver o. (Only the driver. I let the Filipinos off. Here, talk to the driver)

ROGAS: Alberto?

DRIVER: Yes!

ROGAS: Meron ka bang mensahe sa awtoridad, sa gobyerno, sa mga pulis at sa pamilya? (Do you have a message for the authorities, the government, the police, and [your] family?)

DRIVER: Sana po ibigay na nila yung demand ni Captain..Para matapos na ‘to… (I hope they grant the demands of the Captain for this to end)

ROGAS: OK, naririnig po kayo ngayon sa RMN sa buong kapuluan. (Okay, you’re heard all over the archipelago right now through RMN)

DRIVER: Bukas po, bukas po yung TV namin dito. Sa Channel 7 kami. (The tv’s on, the tv is on. We’re [watching] Channel 7)

ROGAS: Yung iba anong ginagawa? (What are the others doing?)

DRIVER: Lahat po nakaupo eh! (They’re all seated)

ROGAS: Kakatapos lang po naming ipinlay ulit yung inyo pong pagkakabasa sa desisyon ng Ombudsman. Sa oras na ito na quarter to 7 na po ang oras dito po sa aming himpilan, ano na po ang huling decision ninyo? (We just played on air the first time the Ombudman’s decision was read [by Mendoza?]. It’s quarter to 7 right now on our station, what is your last decision?)

MENDOZA: Eh wala na po… Kasi nakikita ko ang dami nang SWAT na dumadating ha… Ang daming SWAT na dumadating nakikita ko sa palibot, at ako naman alam ko papatayin din nila ako kaya magsi-alis na sila dahil anytime gagawin ko din yun dito. (I have none yet ... because I see a lot of SWAT coming. There are a lot of them surrounding [the bus] and I know they will kill me so they better leave because I’ll do the same here anytime [soon])

ROGAS: Ah, Erwin, hindi pa ba kayo pinapalapit kahit man lamang doon sa malapit sa bintana? Kasi yun ang kaniyang hinihingi eh! (Erwin, haven’t they allowed you yet to approach the window?)

ERWIN TULFO: Ay hindi nga eh. Hindi kami pinapalapit. Hindi ko maintindihan eh, at, ah, ready na tayong pumunta dun, eh kanina pa nga eh. Naaawa na nga ako run sa mga kasamahan natin—basang-basa na kami sa ulan. (No, we’ve not been given permission. I don’t understand why. I’ve been ready to go since a while back. I take pity on our colleagues, the rain has gotten us all drenched)

ROGAS: Actually, isang oras. Mag-iisang oras na nating nakukuha itong si kapitan Rolando Mendoza. OK, Erwin. Erwin, ito, sandali, ibinabalik—ikaw mismo ah… Ikaw mismo ah… ikaw ang gustong makausap mismo ni Capt. Rolando Mendoza. (Actually, we’ve had Captain Rolando Mendoza for nearly an hour. Okay, Erwin, wait, we’re bringing back, he wants to talk to you, Capt. Mendoza wants to talk to you)

TULFO: Lalapitan sana natin ito, Michael, pero ayaw pa rin tayong paalisin dito ng ground commander sa kinaroroonan ko dito sa kanang bahagi ng Quirino Grandstand. Actually, kung lalakarin ko ‘to, Michael, mga nasa 50 meters pa lang. (I have been wanting to approach him, Michael, but the ground commander would not let us leave where we are here at the right side of the Quirino Grandstand. If I walk the distance, it’s just around 50 meters)

…Si Capt. Rolando Mendoza nagbabalik po sa ating linya. (Capt. Rolando Mendoza is back on the line)

ROGAS: Capt. Rolando Mendoza maliban po sa pwede nyo po bang pangalanan yung mismong tao na gusto nyong makausap?  (...can you name the person you specifically want to talk with?)

ROGAS: Meron ba kayong mensahe sa pamilya ng bihag nyo ngayon Capt. Rolando Mendoza? (Do you have a message for the families of your captives?)

MENDOZA: Ano po (What?)

MENDOZA: …itong sitwasyon na’to lalala to pag di nila nagawa ang gusto ko sabi ko nga itong nasa pinto ng bus ay lalagyan ko to mamaya pag di naging maganda ang usapan. (This situation here will worsen if they don’t do what I want. Like I said, I’ll put a [bullet on] this [hostage] by the door if negotiations don’t turn out well)

MENDOZA: O sige po mukhang tumatagal walang nangyayari kaya malamang sabihin nyo sa kanila na wala talagang negosyador na magaling pupunta dito ay malamang tapusin ko ang lahat ng buhay ko dito. (It’s taking long and nothing is happening so you better tell them that if no good negotiator comes here, I will most likely end the lives of everyone here)

ROGAS: Opo gusto nyo po ba ninyo makausap ang inyong kapatid nasi SPO2 Capt. Rolando Mendoza? (Yes, would you like to talk to your brother?)

MENDOZA: Dina sa pamilya ko ayaw ko na makipag-usap mababaw lang ang loob ko iiyak lang ako, wala naman silang sasabihin sakin kundi makiki usap sumuko kana di naman ako susuko hanggang di nababago ang desisyon ng Ombudsman (No, I don’t want to talk to my family. I’m emotional, I’ll just cry. They’ve nothing to say to me except to plead for me to surrender, which I won’t do unless the Ombudsman’s decision changes)

TULFO: Capt. Rolando Mendoza lalapit po ako dyan naka puti po ako manggagaling ako sa may kanan ng side ng bus. (Capt. Mendoza, I’ll go there. I’m in white and will be approaching from the right side of the bus)

MENDOZA: Gusto mong pumasok sa loob… ipoposas kita after na pumasok ka. (Do you want to enter? I’ll cuff you after you come in?)

TULFO: Dyan nalang tayo sa labas… (I’ll just be outside)

MENDOZA: Papasukin kita pero bago ka pumasok iki clear ko yung katawan mo then afterwards pwede kang magsama ng camera pero ifofocus kita ha pero pakakawalan din kita hindi kita ihohostage. (I’ll let you in but I’ll have to frisk you then afterwards you can come with a camera [or cameraman?] but I’ll focus on you [?] but I’ll let you go after. I won’t hold you hostage)

MENDOZA: Nakikita ko ang sitwasyon, bakit ginaganyan nila ang mga kapatid ko? Wala namang kinalaman ’yan. Ito kapag hindi nila binago ’yan, tutuluyan ko na ’yang mga nandito sa loob. Tutuluyan ko na ’to. Kapag hindi sila nagbago. (I see the situation. Why are they doing that to my brother? He has no part in this. If they don’t stop that, I’ll finish off everyone in here. I’ll finish this off. If they don’t stop)

ROGAS: Easy lamang po. Easy… (Take it easy)

Read [PART 1] [PART 3]