Two survivors to cooperate with Philippine government's probe on hostage crisis

Two survivors in the bloody August 23 hostage crisis are willing to cooperate with the Philippine government's investigation, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Thursday.

"There are two survivors who are willing to be interviewed. We are making arrangements," de Lima told reporters, after emerging from the initial meeting of the Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC). The IIRC is a multi-sectoral body tasked to probe last week's hostage crisis that left eight tourists from Hong Kong dead.

De Lima said a Philippine team will be sent to Hong Kong to get a statement from the hostage survivors. She declined to reveal their names.

De Lima, who serves as IIRC chairperson, said the survivors -- two tourists from Hong Kong -- may provide information on the " critical and crucial moment" when the hostage taker, dismissed policeman Rolando Mendoza, "started to act wrongly."

Source: Xinhua