Govt criticised for bad management

Where was President Benigno Aquino III during the hostage crisis?

This was the question raised by Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang, who was calling him up in vain at the height of the crisis on Monday night.

It was also one of the many questions posed to Aquino by his "friends" on his Facebook account since Monday.
Even Elena Bautista-Horn, spokesperson of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, raised the same question.
Aquino emerged to face the nation and speak about the hostage drama only around midnight of Monday, more than three hours after the hostage crisis ended with the killing of former Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza and eight of his hostages from Hong Kong. Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said Aquino was "not aware" that Tsang was trying to contact him. Carandang said this was the reason the President did not immediately speak before the media because he wanted to first "determine what exactly were the facts on the ground."