National Heroes Day: No work, no classes on Monday
There will be no work or classes this coming Monday in celebration of National Heroes Day, a regular holiday.
PRO-7: SWAT team here can handle hostage crisis
Our local Special Weapon and Tactics (SWAT) team can handle a hostage scenario, this according to the Police Regional Office-7.
Some hostages killed by cops' guns?
Director Leocadio Santiago, National Capital Region Police Office chief, told the ANC's Rundown that members of the police assault team were ordered to surrender their firearms after the bloody 12-hour hostage drama in Rizal Park (formerly Luneta) ended on Monday night.
"That is the possibility. That is why (part of) the (standard operating procedure) is the operatives surrender all their firearms used in the operations," Santiago said, reacting to questions about the possibility that some of the 8 dead victims were hit by the crossfire between Mendoza and the assault team.
He said the operatives' firearms will be subjected to ballistic tests by the Philippine National Police's (PNP) Crime Laboratory in Camp Crame.
Live coverage allowed
Santiago said he did not expect the hostage-drama's violent twist.
The police official said that a crisis management committee headed by Manila Police District head Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay allowed the live media coverage of the hostage crisis because they were expecting to resolve it peacefully.
"As you see, the earlier events were very promising. (Media) coverage could have been an added boost to the honesty... as far as the intention of the PNP that it will take all measure to ensure the safety of the hostages," Santiago said.
Santiago was referring to Mendoza's opening up to a police negotiator and the initial release of 9 hostages.
He said that the police negotiating team was caught off-guard with the unexpected reaction of Mendoza's brother, Senior Police Officer 2 (SPO2) Gregorio Mendoza, who was summoned by the crisis management committee to help them pacify the hostage taker.
Santiago said that instead of pacifying his brother, SPO2 Mendoza "incited" the hostage-taker not to surrender and agitated him further by calling out to the media while he was being arrested by the police.
"That escalated the deterioration (of the hostage situation) further. The brother was commenting don't give up," he said, adding that they never thought that SPO2 Mendoza would put his brother in harm's way.
The hostage taker also saw the police arrest his brother via a television set installed inside the tourist bus, the Metro Manila police chief said.
Santiago said after SPO2 Mendoza's media interview, his brother fired at a hostage that he earlier handcuffed near the bus entrance.
PNP probe
Santiago said the PNP will start an "organizational" probe on Wednesday.
He said the they will try to fast-track the investigation, which will be two-pronged.
The PNP will try to look at possible improvements that police can make in handling hostage situations and determine the liabilities and possible lapses of police officers involved in the operation.
Santiago said all policemen involved in the hostage-taking crisis, including him and the MPD chief, will be investigated.
Meanwhile, Santiago admitted possible lapses in the police's handling of the crowd at the Rizal Park and mistakes committed by the assault team.
One possible lapse cited was the assault team's planning.
He said the assault team, which was seen hammering the front door of the bus, was redirected to the emergency door at the rear part of the bus after receiving text messages that the vehicle had an emergency exit.
Santiago also echoed statements of other police officers about a lack of equipment and appropriate firearms to deal with a hostage-taking crisis.
Hostage negotiator wants crisis policies reviewed
Superintendent Orlando Yebra told the ANC's "The World Tonight" on Tuesday that the PNP needs to look at its crisis management committee.
"There are gray areas between the ground commander and people right below him," Yebra said. "We have to determine, identify, (at) bigyan ng resulta ang gray areas."
He added that the PNP should determine the specific roles of the members of its crisis committee, as well as improve coordination when various police agencies and units respond to a crisis.
"Nagkakaroon ng problema doon," he said.
Yebra, a veteran in the field, said Monday's hostage-taking incident was the first time that he saw talks deteriorate that bad.
He added that he continued to try to talk to the hostage-taker, dismissed senior inspector Rolando Mendoza, even while the bullets were already flying.
"Lahat nalulungkot sa naging outcome. Pero concerted effort iyon. Lahat kami apektado," he said. "With limited resources, nakita naman kung paano na-try resolve iyung problema."
Mistakes
PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Argrimero Cruz admitted on Tuesday that mistakes were made during the hostage situation.
"Mga lapses ang titingnan ng pulisya sa operations, kung paano hinandle," he said. "At iyong media na rin na nai-broadacast kaagad ang mga pangyayari."
According to Yebra, journalists should be careful in covering hostage incidents.
"Based on what I studied, interviews (with negotiators) are not encouraged. Questions should just be submitted to command post," he said.
He added that live media reports of hostage incidents might affect efforts to resolve the situation without bloodshed. "The suspect might also be monitoring the news cycle," Yebra said.
Negotiator says brod triggered hostage-taker to snap
"The brother was the trigger that made him snap," said Chief Inspector Romeo Salvador, who accompanied the chief negotiator, Supt. Orlando Yebra, in trying to secure the release of the hostages, many of whom were Chinese tourists from Hong Kong.
"Ang ganda na ng usapan (The talk was going nicely). He (Mendoza) was about to surrender. We already had good rapport with him. We successfully got him to release nine hostages," Salvador said.
But negotiations broke down after Gregorio told the hostage-taker not to accept a deal set up by the negotiators unless his firearm, which was confiscated before he joined the negotiation, was returned to him.
Gregorio also told his brother not to accept the letter of the Ombudsman that was brought to him by Yebra and Salvador. Gregorio was heard telling Rolando the letter was "basura (trash)."
As the negotiators and Gregorio turned to leave, Mendoza fired a warning shot. "His gun was aimed at us," Salvador said.
Because of his actions, which the police considered to have impeded negotiations, Gregorio was placed under arrest. He tried to resist arrest and was forcibly shoved into a mobile police car. This was covered live by TV stations and monitored by his brother from the TV set on the bus.
"He became emotional and that's when he started firing shots," Salvador said. "That's when we knew we could no longer continue the negotiation."
3 Hong Kong tourists in stable condition – hospital execs
Chinese envoy arrives in RP to help hostage victims
Family still in shock over fate of Rolando Mendoza
Bus driver describes hostage taker as man on a crusade
There was no tension. He was calm.
This was how the 38-year-old Hong Thai Travel bus driver Alberto Lubang described former Senior Insp. Rolando Mendoza during most of Monday's hostage drama at the Luneta. In fact, Lubang said in a sworn statement to police investigators, for most of the 11 hours he and more than 20 Chinese tourists were held hostage, Mendoza was a man on a crusade to prove his innocence.
But, Lubang alleged, everything changed when the sacked police officer saw on the bus' television his brother being handcuffed and taken away by operatives of the Manila Police District from the Quirino Grandstand.
The last words Mendoza reportedly shouted were, "Uubusin ko ang mga hostage kaya dapat i-release ninyo na iyan at pag inalis nyo yan makikita nyo." (I will finish off all the hostages so you should release him and if you remove him, you'll regret it).
Mendoza then started his shooting spree. He first fired his automatic rifle at a tour guide, who had been handcuffed on the aisle, and then shot the seated tourists indiscriminately while he walked along the aisle.
In his sworn statement to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Manila field office, Lubang claimed that he picked up the tourists from the Manila Pavilion for a tour of Intramuros at around 8 a.m.
After reaching Intramuros, the tourists disembarked and he returned for them after an hour, at around 9 a.m. He parked his bus in front of the Manila Cathedral and he saw a man wearing a ballcap, dressed in fatigue uniform carrying a long firearm. The man had been standing in front of the gate of Fort Santiago.
When the tourists boarded the bus, and Lubang was about to maneuver the bus forward, the man approached the bus and asked where they were headed. "When I told him airport, he asked if he could hitch a ride."
"While we were nearing Luneta, the man said, 'Sorry, mga hostage ko na kayo ngayon,' which surprised us. Dianna Chan immediately informed the tourists in their language of what the man had said," the driver recounted.
The armed man in the camouflage uniform then introduced himself as "Captain Mendoza, a Manila policeman."
"I thought that he was joking but realized he was serious when he told us, 'I am going to hold everyone of you hostage until 3 p.m.,' and he promised not to hurt anyone," Lubang said. He was then ordered by Mendoza to drive toward the Quirino Grandstand.
The bus driver recounted that there was an elderly female passenger who complained of being afflicted with loose bowel movement and Mendoza reportedly instructed the tour guide Dianna Chan to accompany the woman and told her in Filipino, "Go ahead. Get off the bus. Call the NCRPO and I will call them too so they would know I am holding your bus hostage."
At around 9:30, the policemen arrived and Chief Insp. Romeo Salvador, who claimed to have been with Mendoza before in Bicutan, approached the bus to start negotiating for the release of the hostages. Lubang heard Salvador asking Mendoza what he was doing and heard the police captain's reply, "Bok, iyon lang kaso ko sa Ombudsman ang gusto kong madinig dito. Wag kayong mag-alala, wala naman mangyayari pag nasunod ang mga gusto ko. Pangako iyan (I just want my case in the Ombudsman to be heard here. Don't worry, nothing will happen if what I want is followed. That's a promise)."
When Supt. Orlando Yebra arrived, Mendoza reportedly handed him a thick folder and told the police official, "Sir, please bring those to the DOJ and the Ombudsman so I can find out their answer later." In exchange for that, Yebra reportedly asked for the release of hostages. "Oo ba, Sir, basta bigayan tayo ha," Lubang quoted Mendoza as saying. It was then that an adult and three children were released.
Mendoza then asked if the tourists were hungry and directed Lubang to call the Hong Thai Travel agency and ask for food.
"All of us had eaten but Sir (Mendoza) did not. He reasoned out that he might defecate if he did. Then he released another passenger (the 7th ), an old man. He was smiling at us and told us, 'Now they might be saying I'm okay. I hope they send in media so you (Lubang) would be famous,"
Mendoza soon released another hostage (the 8th) even without the negotiators asking for the release of a hostage.
Asked by police investigators if there was tension and if Mendoza threatened or hurt any of the passengers, Lubang said, "Wala po. Kampanti lang po siya. Wala po siyang sinaktan na pasahero ng mga oras na iyon at paminsan-minsan ay nagagawa niyang magbiro, pero seryoso po siya sa kanyang pakay. Naikwento nya nga po sa amin maski ang mga dayuhan kong pasahero na na-dismissed sya dahil sa maling desisyon at hindi naman daw sya ang may gawa nun, kagagawan yun ng mga tao nya noon.(There was no tension. He was calm. He did not hurt any of the passengers at that time and he occasionally joked, but he was serious in his goal. He told us, even the foreigners, that he was dismissed because of a wrong decision and he had nothing to do with what happened. It was his men who were responsible)."
Lubang also recalled that whenever he spoke on the mobile phone, Mendoza talked to members of the media. "But if the caller was a member of his family, he refused the call. Maybe he did not want to lose his resolve."
SPO2 Gregorio Mendoza, the police captain's brother, started to approach the bus and was held back by the two negotiators because he was armed. The younger Mendoza's gun was taken before he was allowed to talk again to his brother at the rear of the bus, who asked him to extend his 3 p.m. deadline but Mendoza asked the negotiators to return his brother's gun.
"When darkness fell, Colonel Yebra, Major Salvador, and SPO2 Mendoza approached carrying several documents and the way I understood it, those were from the Ombudsman," Lubang recalled. But after Mendoza read the documents, he shouted, "This is not what I asked for. This is garbage. Return these. The decision I want is not among these." The negotiators tried to explain but Mendoza shook his head.
Before walking away, SPO2 Mendoza reportedly told his older brother that his service firearm had not yet been returned. "Dito na nagbago ang hitsura ng captain at nagpaputok na sya ng isang beses. Eto nung habang papalayo na ang tatlo." He likewise heard Mendoza remarking, "Naku, sinungaling pala yun. Ayoko na silang kausap."
Lubang claimed that the police captain was all ther more enraged when he saw on the onboard television that his brother was being handcuffed and Mendoza shouted that he was going to finish off the hostages if his brother was not released.
The bus driver said that he was surprised when Mendoza started shooting at the handcuffed tour guide on the aisle and walked along the aisle as he fired. "I was watching through the rear view mirror and I pleaded with him to let me go because I had a family. But he barked at me to move the bus forward. I could not because the tires were already flattened by sniper fire. I pleaded with him again to let me go. He did not speak but kept on firing."
Desperate, Lubang was able to break free of his handcuffs using the cuticle remover of a nail cutter. As soon as he was free of the handcuffs, he slipped through the small window on the driver's side and ran away, shouting, "Pinatay nang lahat yung mga hostage."
He reasoned out that he shouted those words because he witnessed how Mendoza kept on firing at the passengers on their seats.
Aquino declares Aug 25 day of nat'l mourning
Under Proclamation No. 23, Aquino said the deaths of eight civilians "are a great loss to the peoples of Hong Kong and the Philippines."
He added that there is a need to answer "a call for the most solemn commemoration and respect at a time of grief for our two peoples."
The Hong Kong government earlier declared a day of mourning to express sorrow over the deaths.
"I instruct all the public institutions in the Philippines and our embassies and consulates overseas to lower the Philippine flag to half-mast on August 25, 2010," the president said.
DFA mum on Aquino's snub of Hong Kong chief's calls
RP to send delegation to HK to assuage pain over hostage drama
Police admit blunders in hostage crisis
DILG chief admits problems in hostage handling
DILG chief admits cops 'lacked skills, equipment'
Ombudsman defends decision not to yield to hostage-taker's demand
No clear command caused Grandstand tragedy—Biazon
Security experts angry over Manila hostage drama
"The fact that there was essentially live video was mistake number one," said assistant professor John Harrison, a homeland security analyst at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.
He told Agence France-Presse there should have been a media blackout to deny the hijacker feedback on what was going on around him.
Instead, he was able to follow events -- including frenzied speculation by serving and former police chiefs appearing on Philippine networks -- via the bus's internal TV.
President Benigno Aquino, who took his oath of office on June 30 at the historic Rizal Park grandstand complex where the incident unfolded, has defended the police but ordered an investigation.
Hong Kong newspapers bemoaned missed opportunities by police to end the siege much earlier, including a moment when the gunman waved from the bus door. Protestors Tuesday picketed the Chinese territory's Philippine consulate.
Dennis Wong Sing Wing, an associate professor of applied social studies at City University in Hong Kong, said the police operation was "really shocking" to watch as it unfolded live on TV.
"I am very angry about their unprofessional performance," he said. "They are indirectly responsible for the deaths of the Hong Kong people."
Wong said the policemen assigned to end the hostage-taking appeared to lack modern weapons and communication equipment, and as a result were hesitant to attack the gunman, who was armed with an M-16 assault rifle.
He criticized the negotiating tactics employed by police, saying they failed to calm the hostage-taker down and hear him out.
A retired Philippine military official who wrote a counter-terrorism manual and now runs a security consultancy said the police had enough expertise and equipment to deal with such an incident, but they were not put to use.
"We have everything, except the execution was poorly done," he said, declining to be named.
He was critical of the stop-go negotiations and "tentative" assault launched after gunshots rang out from inside the bus, adding that the police should have disabled the TV monitor early on.
"Contact (by negotiators) should have been constant. It's the talking that does a lot," he said.
"When you order an assault, it has to be an assault. There is no such thing as a tentative assault," he said. "If 10 policemen have to die, they have to die in that assault."
The retired official believed many of the policemen on the scene, some of them seen crouching without any body armor behind patrol cars, did not appear to be fully trained Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) personnel.
"They just put helmets on certain people," he remarked.
Trial judge Jaime Santiago, a former SWAT officer, said in a television interview in Manila that police failed to impose crowd control in the hostage site and panicked after hearing gunshots from the bus.
"They should have put a tactical force, SWAT snipers and an assault team on standby during the negotiation so that if the hostage-taker started harming people, they would act," Santiago added.
Media hit for blow-by-blow coverage of hostage drama
'Media should review how it covers hostage situations'
Dapat pag-aralan muli ng media ang mga panuntunan sa pagko-cover ng mga crisis situations gaya ng hostage drama kahapon. Ito ang tugon ng Centre for Media Freedom and Responsibility. Pero para naman sa PNP-NCRPO, nakatulong pa nga raw sa mga pulis ang media coverage. Magba-Bandila si Jenny Reyes.
NBI joins probe on hostage crisis
Filipinos in HK feeling brunt of hostage crisis
No security threats to Pinoys in HK, says consul
OFWs call for probe, express sympathy for hostage crisis victims
Re-imposition of death penalty pushed
Lingam massage operator arrested
Policemen arrested the owner of a lingam massage parlor in Barangay Mabolo, as well as two of her masseuses and their male customer, after the masseuses were al-legedly caught in the act of massaging the customer's genitals during a surprise inspection last Monday night.
Balili maintains refusal to reimburse Capitol
"We will maintain that we should not refund or reimburse the claimed amount by the Province of Cebu."
Malabuyoc mayor acquitted of graft charges
The Sandiganbayan has acquitted Malabuyoc Mayor Narciso "Lito" Creus of the criminal case for violation of the Anti-graft and Corrupt Practices Act arising from his alleged refusal to release the financial assistance of at least seven fire victims in 2008 because they were identified supporters of his political rival.
Greg hires Saavedra as project consultant
Cebu Vice Governor Gregorio Sanchez has hired Engineer Crisologo Saavedra yesterday as consultant on project monitoring and evaluation to ensure transparency in transactions made by the province.
Gwen increases fiscals monthly stipend
Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has promised to give a P5,000 increase in the monthly allowance of provincial and regional state prosecutors.
On top of the increase in the prosecutors' monthly stipend, the governor also plans to put up a satellite office in one of the towns in Cebu.
From the P5,000 monthly allowance that they used to receive from the province, the 23 provincial prosecutors from now on will receive P10,000 each. The same amount will be received also by the six regional state prosecutors.
City government may extend aid for Haladaya Fest
While the town of Daanbantayan failed to get financial assistance from the provincial government, the Cebu City government may extend assistance to the town in its staging of the Haladaya Festival on August 30.
Daanbantayan Mayor Maria Luisa Loot announced that a staff of former Cebu City mayor and now south district Rep. Tomas Osmeña informed her about the P500,000 assistance that the city is giving for the festival.
Osmeña's staff asked Loot to write a formal request addressed to Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama.
Loot immediately called for a special session of the municipal council the other day to approve a resolution requesting P500,000 from the Cebu City government as assistance for the festival.
With this development, Daanbantayan may join the Sinulog Festival in January next year.
Osmeña denied that he offered assistance to Daanbantayan town but said he would be willing to help if town officials will ask him.
DOH: Dengue cases rise by 75%; now a 'serious concern'
Dengue deaths rise to 13 in Iloilo City
2 killed, 11 hurt as jeep falls into ravine in Southern Leyte
The fatalities were identified as Jeffrey Serito, 23, and Anita Salapi, 50, of Libertad and Lundag villages, respectively.
Wounded were Paulino Lakayan, 68; Angelina Doron 39; Emeliana Soria, 49; Laurencia Palima, 68; Erna Adobas, 42; Jessie Kaubigan, 18; Melgar Pliro, 15; Ronie Omilan, 30; Anastacio Montera; and the jeepney driver Lonie Paloma.
Three other passengers aged four to eight survived unscathed.
The 68-year-old survivor Laurencia Palima said the jeep was negotiating a curved and uphill road when the driver lost control of the vehicle and it fell into the ravine.
Palima said the jeep had 20 passengers and was loaded with 40 sacks of copra.
The driver surrendered to the police after getting treatment for his wounds
Margarita Paloma, wife of jeepney owner Honorato, said they gave medical and financialassistance to the victims.
5 soldiers killed, one wounded in Agusan rebel attack
Maguindanao massacre vehicles back on the road
Proposed P1.64-T budget submitted to Congress
SC sets oral arguments for plea to junk EO on truth body
Whistleblowers to spill more beans before truth body
Arroyo-era whistle blowers seek protection
SSS chair, 3 other execs got P127M from mining firm
Based on the records of Philex Mining Corporation, outgoing SSS chairman Thelmo Cunanan supposedly received a total compensation package of P83.1 million from the company in the form of bonuses, per diem and other benefits; P17.2 million and P20.27 million for former SSS presidents Romulo Neri and Corazon dela Paz-Bernardo, respectively; and P6.3 million for Commissioner Sergio Ortiz-Luiz.
The four allegedly received the compensation package from Philex as SSS representatives to the Philex board of directors.
At the joint hearing by the Senate committees on finance and government corporations, Senator Franklin Drilon disclosed that Cunanan made a total of P66.6 million alone from the stock optiongranted to him by the mining firm in 2007, 2009 and 2010.
Cunanan got P1.2 million for selling 495,000 shares of stock in August 2007, P55.2 million in November 2009 for selling 3,140,000 shares, and another P10.1 million in March 2010 for selling 930,625 shares, Drilon said.
"For the three transactions as a member of the board of Philex representing SSS pension fund, Mr. Cunanan made P66,644,194," said Drilon.
A document the senator later furnished to reporters showed that Cunanan also received P16.1 in other allowances and a per diem of P312, 800.
"These are all on record and these were never turned over to the SSS," said Drilon during the hearing.
"This was not turned over to the SSS on the theory as Mr. Neri was saying. This was part of their compensation. I don't know how much taxes were paid here," he said.
In stock options, Neri earned a total of P11.8 million in May, September and November 2009, and March 2010 transactions aside from P5.2 million allowances and per diem of P102,000.
Dela Paz-Bernardo's stock options for August 2008 alone amounted to P9.7 million and received P10.8 million in allowances and per diem of P149, 600.
Ortiz-Luiz 's also earned P4.6 million when he sold the agency's shares from the corporation in January 2010. He also received P1.6 million allowances and per diem of P54.400.
While Philex's bylaws provides that one-and-a-half percent of its profits would be declared as a bonus of a member of the board, Drilon said it should be incumbent upon the SSS executives to return the bonuses to the agency.
"Now, the question on the part of the SSS commissioner who sits in Philex: Does he have an obligation to turn this over to the SSS? Because these are profits realized out of investment of the SSS in Philex," said the senator during a press conference after the hearing.
"In my mind, they are not entitled to it because they are there representing the SSS pension fund and if these were not declared as bonuses, it would have been profits. In other words, these are profits distributed to them in the form of a bonus, "he pointed out.
While he could not pinpoint a particular law that prohibited the SSS officials from getting the bonuses as part of their compensation, Drilon pointed out "the general principle" under the revised penal code, which provides "that when you are a trustee, you are supposed to turn over the funds that you received as a trustee."
"That's the principle and your failure to do so would constitute malversation because the bonus my dear is based on profit," he further said.
And these ex-officials, he said, might face possible criminal liability for their alleged failure to exercise the "extraordinary diligence" required of a manager of a trust fund, like the SSS.
Get clearance before exiting Saudi, OFWs advised
Tetangco: peso won't be affected by hostage tragedy
Purisima: Hostage crisis hardly to impact economy
RP stocks fall sharply after hostage crisis
Tourism to be affected by hostage crisis
Last Monday's hostage incident in Manila poses a setback to the government's efforts to achieve its tourism arrival target of 3.3 million this year, Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim said.
Napocor debts more than government could bear -- PSALM
Government data showed that in 2009, debt service maturities and obligations to independent power producers reached $2.45 billion, eating up the measly P10 billion in revenues generated by the remaining state-owned power assets during the same period.
PSALM is expected to further service $2.53 billion in debt service maturities and IPP obligations this year; and another $1.93 billion next year.
Raise workers' salaries to solve economic crisis
Plane crashes in Nepal with 14 on board -- home ministry
China plane overshoots runway, at least 47 hurt: state media
Chinese plane with 91 on board crashes—state media
Six MPs among 32 killed in Somalia hotel carnage
UN says 800,000 cut off by Pakistan floods
Jimmy Carter to visit NKorea to free US man—report
Roach assures no illegal wraps vs Pacquiao
Filipinos use Facebook to vent hostage anger at Aquino
Raj's runner-up finish at Miss U 'bright spot on sad day'—Palace
'Major major:' Venus Raj's legacy?
CamSur celebrates Venus Raj's feat
Piyesta sa Camarines Sur sa pagkakapanalo ng kababayan nilang si Venus Raj bilang runner-up sa Miss Universe. Emosyonal naman ang ina ni Venus sa tagumpay ng anak na dumaan sa hindi birong pagsubok.
Ex-Miss Universe Pinays defend Venus Raj
CPDRC inmates to dance in ABS-CBN's "Idol" show
Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has allowing the world famous dancing inmates of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center to dance for ABS-CBN's new show entitled "Idol" which will pilot next month.
The CPDRC will get P300,000 cash donation in return for acceding to the network's request for its inmates to dance for the show. Garcia, who is also the jailer of the CPDRC, announced yesterday that she is allowing the inmates to dance.
The governor also said that she is announcing to the public the cash donation that they will be receiving in return for purposes of transparency. She said the money will be properly receipted by the Provincial Treasurer's Office as soon as it is received by them.
Based on the guidelines earlier set by Garcia, 25-percent of the donations will be retained by the province while 75-percent will go to the inmates' fund.
Rocky Ubana, ABS-CBN's executive producer of the show, said that the "Idol" will pilot on September 4, 2010.
According to Ubana, having the CPDRC dancing inmates to dance is part of their campaign to promote the show. CPDRC inmates will be featured during the third in-stallment of their campaign.
The first installment was held last July 28 at the Market-Market Mall in Taguig and in the Mall of Asia wherein 100 dancers, posing as regular shoppers, simultane-ously dance to the show's theme song, You'll Always be my number one, sung by pop princess Sarah Geronimo.
The event was covered by the network's production team, it will be aired together with that of the CPDRC inmates' dance in TV Patrol and ASAP on August 28 in the Idol:The Making.
Ubana said that the dancing inmates, which has earned worldwide accolade for the success of their "Thriller" dance routine, will help promote their new show. A cho-reographer from Manila will fly to Cebu to teach the inmates the dance steps for a two-minute dance material.
The actual event will be held on August 27, which will be covered by 109 video cameras and will be aired in "IDOL the making."
The program top billed Sarah Geronimo, Sam Milby, Coco Martin and veteranactress Zsa-Zsa Padilla.
Pop star George Michael pleads guilty to drug offenses
Timeline: Manila hostage crisis
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