MANILA, Philippines?Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno told a committee investigating the August 23 hostage-taking event he felt that the situation was more a ?national crisis? than a local one as the captives were foreigners, but kept that opinion to himself as he was more interested in the swift resolution of the crisis.

?In my opinion?I am not a specialist into hostage-taking, I don't have specialty in this situation?but I believe on my personal level that since those involved were foreigners, sana dumating na ang mga tao sa national level. That's my personal opinion,? Moreno said in reply to questioning ing by panel member Herman Basbano, head of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas.

Moreno said he did not mention this to Mayor Alfredo Lim, head of the local crisis committee, or Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay, who was the ground commander.

The vice mayor said he instead concentrated on his task, which was to meet with Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez for the review of hostage taker Rolando Mendoza's dismissal from the police service, stemming from an extortion complaint.

Moreno also considered himself the ?postman? who delivered Gutierrez's letter to Mendoza, which stated that she would personally review his case.

Mendoza ignored Gutierrez's letter, calling it ?trash? as he wanted immediate reinstatement into the Philippine National Police.

On Friday, Interior and Local Department Undersecretary Rico Puno, designated by President Aquino to oversee the police force, told the panel that the hostage-taking incident was classified as a ?local crisis? and was at no point considered as a national crisis despite the fact that 22 hostages were Hong Kong Chinese.