Saudi Crown Prince, Italian PM Meloni discuss regional security in phone call    Musaned tops 2024 Beneficiary Satisfaction Index among 39 platforms with a rate of 96%    Saudi Arabia launches loan guarantees for SMEs to stimulate investment in environmental projects    Dr. Soliman Fakeeh Hospital, Jeddah is among top three 5-star hospitals in Middle East and North Africa    Antenna: Saudi artist Ahmed Mater opens first solo exhibition in China    79 hospitality facilities in Makkah and Madinah face penalties for closure order violations    S&P upgrades Saudi Arabia's credit rating to A+    Trump orders 'decisive' military action against Houthis in Yemen    US Senate passes Republican spending bill to avert government shutdown    Zelenskyy says territorial control key to peace talks, rejects recognition of occupied regions    Pakistan says train hijacking death toll rises to 30, accuses India and Afghanistan of supporting militants    Al Nassr climbs to third with dominant win over Al Khaleej, Al Qadsiah slips after loss to Damac    CEDA reviews role of reforms in diversification of economy and surge in non-oil revenues    Crown Prince receives Yazeed Al-Rajhi after historic Dakar Rally 2025 victory    Saleh Al-Shehri's late penalty rescues Al Ittihad against Al Riyadh    SR17 million fines slapped on 16 individuals and companies convicted of violating Capital Market Law    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Man lives for 100 days with titanium heart in successful new trial    Argentinian court begins trial of seven healthcare professionals over Maradona's death    Singer Wheesung who wooed Korea with his ballads, found dead at 43    Prince Frederik of Luxembourg dies from rare disease    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



China riles over flag for slain gunman
By Jay R. Gotera
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 28 - 08 - 2010

China expressed “strong indignation” Friday after the Philippine flag was placed on the coffin of a dismissed policeman who took several Hong Kong tourists hostage and killed eight, the latest fallout from bloodshed that has strained Manila's ties with Beijing.
Television footage showed the flag draped over the coffin of Rolando Mendoza, who was killed by a police sniper Monday after he opened fire on the Hong Kong tourists he had held hostage for a day while demanding his job back.
The 55-year-old was a decorated officer who was once cited by the police force as one of the “10 outstanding policemen” in the Philippines.
Mendoza's family had placed the flag on the coffin, which was displayed in their hometown in Batangas province, south of Manila, ahead of the funeral Saturday. They removed it after China's protest. “The person who deserves a national flag at funeral should be someone of heroism, decency and integrity, not someone who inflicts atrocity on innocent lives,” the Chinese Embassy said in a terse statement.
“This is nothing but a smear on the dignity of the Philippine national flag,” it said.
It added that it condemns “the brutality of the criminal and expresses its strong indignation over this irritating act.”
Stunned by the Chinese reaction, Malacanang immediately ordered local authorities to remove the flag on the casket, saying the act was not sanctioned by the Aquino government.
“This was an act of the family (of Mendoza),” said Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning head Ricky Carandang. “Nobody from the government has ordered that,” he added.
Mendoza's remains lie in his hometown of Tanauan, Batangas province. Mendoza, a dismissed police officer, died in a hail of bullets Monday after police assaulted the bus, where he held hostage 21 Hong Kong tourists and four Filipinos, for more than 11 hours. The police was forced to attack the bus after Mendoza started shooting his hostages.
Carandang said Malacanang instructed Tanauan City Mayor Sonia Torres-Aquino to have the flag removed at around 3:20 P.M. but the flag was reportedly only removed shortly before 5 P.M.
When an unidentified government agent removed the flag and took it away, Mendoza's relatives protested, with one of them reportedly saying, “What else do they want? Do they want to remove his clothes, too?”
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the draping of the flag on Mendoza's casket did not conform to existing regulations.”There are rules and protocol with respect to the manner of display of the Philippine flag and we do not consider the display of the Philippine flag in this particular instance as conforming with existing rules,” the DFA said.
The hostage-taking has caused dismay in Beijing and Hong Kong although the spat did not result in a recall of ambassadors.
Philippine National Police spokesman Agrimero Cruz said also police authorities did not give the order required for draping a national flag on Mendoza's coffin, who had received medals while in service. “When he took hostages, all his decorations have lost their meaning,” he said.
China's Foreign Ministry Thursday pressed Manila to complete the investigation of the hostage crisis “as soon as possible.”
Second replacement
The officer appointed acting Manila police chief after his predecessor stood down in the wake of a botched hostage rescue has himself been replaced, heaping further humiliation on the Philippines' security forces.
Senior Superintendent Francisco Villaroman was made acting head of the Manila Police District after the ground commander stood down Wednesday while the hijack drama was investigated.
Villaroman was replaced after one day. Police gave no reason for his removal, but the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper said Villaroman was among police officers charged in the disappearance of two Hong Kong residents in the Philippines in 1998 and 1999.


Clic here to read the story from its source.