‘Don’t blame Aquino’
Estrada said that in the absence of the mayor, a known personality like the Armed Forces chief of staff or the Philippine National Police chief should have led the negotiations with the hostage-taker, a dismissed police officer.
“He (the hostage-taker) is a policeman and he will respect the AFP or PNP chief.”
Estrada said that Vice Mayor Isko Moreno, who dealt with the media during the hostage incident, “had no personality for that kind of a situation.”
Estrada also asked the people to stop blaming President Benigno Aquino III for what happened.
“He was not at fault,” Estrada said, noting the “crab mentality” of people who would blame the President.
“I’ve been there, and I know it was beyond him. He has been in office less than 100 days so let us just help our President,” he said.