Philippine President Benigno Aquino III said Monday that Manila's mayor, the recently retired police chief and journalists are among more than a dozen people who could be charged over last month's disastrous hostage standoff that killed eight Hong Kong tourists and damaged relations with China.

The recommended charges, both criminal and administrative, were part of a government investigation report on the Aug. 23 hostage crisis that has been handed over to the Chinese ambassador.

Police investigators examine a bullet-riddled tourist bus which was stormed by police the night before to rescue hostages at Rizal Park in Manila, Philippines on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2010. (Bullit Marquez/Associated Press)

Aquino said he will decide whether to approve the filing of charges, including against one of his close aides, after government lawyers have studied the lengthy report and he has returned from an upcoming U.S. trip.

The president told a nationally televised news conference that his administration wanted to speedily render justice to the victims and help the survivors "get back to their lives."

"We are repairing relations with [China]," Aquino said.

The 11-hour hostage standoff on a bus parked at a historic Manila park — which millions watched on live TV — strained ties with China and its territory of Hong Kong. Both issued warnings advising against travel to the Philippines, prompting thousands of tourists to cancel bookings.

The crisis sparked Aquino's first major test, coming less than two months into his presidency, and highlighted problems within the country's underfunded police force and his new Cabinet.

Scrambling to deal with the fallout, Aquino created a fact-finding committee led by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, who submitted an 83-page investigation report on Friday.

The report issued to the public did not contain the recommended charges or the identities of those implicated.

However, Aquino said they included Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, Vice Mayor Iskho Moreno, recently retired national police chief Jesus Versoza, relieved Manila police chief Rodolfo Magtibay, his two negotiators and SWAT commandos involved in the bungled rescue. Aquino's close ally, Interior Undersecretary Rico Puno, also was named.

De Lima said the recommendations were "based on the evaluation of the actions, the non-action, the missteps, the lapses, the negligence, the incompetence" of the people involved.

Also facing charges were at least three journalists, including a radio anchor and reporter who were criticized during the investigation for interviewing the hostage-taker at the standoff's most tense moment, occupying a cellphone line that could have been used by police to make a last-ditch offer, Aquino said.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines has defended the journalists, saying they were just doing their job and were not given police orders on coverage limitations.

All the eight hostages, including Canadian Ken Leung and his two daughters, were killed by the hostage-taker, the report said, noting that more tests were needed to verify if police gunfire hit some of the victims.

The hostage taker, decorated former police officer Rolando Mendoza, was demanding his job back, claiming he was innocent of extortion and illegal arrest charges that prompted the government ombudsman to order his dismissal. He was killed during the rescue attempt.

Another seven Hong Kong people were wounded in the standoff.