Philippine leader's apology won't clear others

Presidential spokesman Herminio Coloma said in an interview on government radio that Aquino's admission was in the context of his role as the country's highest elected official.

“He is not absolving the other officials, no. The president is simply emphasizing that he is accountable to the people (who) elected him,” Coloma said.

Sacked policeman Rolando Mendoza took a busload of tourists hostage on Aug. 23 in a desperate bid to clear himself of extortion charges and get his job back.

The standoff, which played out live on global television, came to a bloody end when police made a botched attempt to storm the bus and rescue the hostages.

A high-level committee formed by Aquino is now holding an inquiry into the bloodbath which left eight hostages and the gunman dead.

In the same vein, Coloma said Aquino had no plans to quit. “He will complete his six-year term as president.”

Asked about the Hong Kong legislature's demand for an apology and compensation, Coloma said: “President Aquino has apologized and this has been acknowledged by Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang.”

Coloma said Aquino had also announced that his government would study the compensation issue.

Philippine officials overseeing the hostage crisis left their posts when the gunman who seized the busload of Hong Kong tourists stopped negotiating and began shooting, an official inquiry heard Saturday.

The testimony by Manila's deputy mayor, Isko Moreno, came after details emerged of a catalogue of mistakes by other police and government officials in the central Manila standoff that ended with eight hostages being killed.

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