Police file charges vs hostage-taker’s brother

The Manila Police District (MPD) on Tuesday filed charges against the brother of the dismissed police captain who took over 20 passengers of a tourist bus hostage in Manila on Monday. Radio dzBB’s Carlo Mateo said the police lodged charges against SPO2 Gregorio Mendoza for conspiracy to commit illegal detention. The police said Gregorio may have allegedly “agitated" his brother, dismissed Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza, the slain hostage-taker, into shooting hostages, prompting the police to storm into the bus. The hostage-taker and nine of the hostages were killed in the incident. Article 267 of the Revised Penal Code penalizes kidnapping and serious illegal detention with reclusion perpetua (life imprisonment) to death, if: * If the kidnapping or detention lasted more than five days; * If it was committed simulating public authority; * If any serious physical injuries have been inflicted upon the person kidnapped or detained; * If threats to kill have been made; * If the person kidnapped or detained is a minor, female or a public officer. “The penalty shall be death where the kidnapping or detention was committed for the purpose of extorting ransom from the victim or any other person, even if none of the circumstances above-mentioned were present in the commission of the offense," it said. –VVP, GMANews.TV