MANILA, Philippines — Allowing the hostage-taker in a San Juan City mall to face members of the media and hold a “press conference” after he released the hostages on Monday night was a tactical move, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Archie Gamboa stressed.
Gamboa made the declaration amid criticisms after Alchie Paray, a disgruntled former mall security guard, was allowed to publicly air his grievances against his former employers.
“Maraming critics kung bakit siya pinayagan na mag-press conference pa but of course sinabi ni San Juan City Mayor (Francis Zamora) that it is part of the negotiation but there is a tactical reason why they allowed it,” Gamboa said in an interview on dzMM Monday night.
(Critics were all over the fact that the hostage-taker was allowed to have a press conference)
“Ang daming kritiko na bakit isang oras na ‘yan diyan bakit pinayagan etc. Now there is a tactical reason for that bakit ginawa,” he added.
(There were many critics but there is a tactical reason for that.)
Gamboa said he is not at liberty to explain the motives behind allowing Paray to address the media, but the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) or Zamora could explain it “when the right time comes.”
The PNP chief added that the NCRPO handled the hostage situation correctly.
“We have to determine what’s the problem first and to be honest, the police and military would only just come in as a last resort kasi ang talagang pag ganyan ang pinakauna talaga diyan is negotiation,” he said.
Paray held hostage about 60 to 70 individuals at the V Mall in Greenhills at around 10 a.m. Monday.
After releasing the hostages at around 8:15 p.m., Paray was allowed to air his grievances against his former employers.
He alleged that there was corruption in the security agency. He was also allowed to answer some of the queries of the media.
It was only after he spoke for about 20 minutes that Paray was subdued and pinned down by members of the PNP’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team.
“We take it positively to improve our systems and protocols,” Gamboa said.
READ: How the Greenhills hostage-taking unfolded
READ: 1 hurt as sacked security guard takes dozens of people hostage in Greenhills mall
READ: Talks go on as dozens remain captive by ex-security guard in Greenhills mall
READ: Giving in to captor’s pleas: Greenhills mall security officials resign, apologize