WHAT HAPPENED?!?: Thoughts on The Hostage Drama on Aug. 23.

This is the first time, in the whole history of the Philippines, that I have heard an hostage drama to take a 12-hour round and finish in a bloody scene. Yes. The recent hostage drama took place at the Quirino Grandstand, Manila, fronting Luneta Park, along the long highways of Roxas Boulevard, last August 23, 2010, which ended at roughly ten in the evening. The hostages were Chinese nationals and the hostage taker, a Filipino policeman fighting for his rights, Mr. Rolando Mendoza. This scene created a big impact to the image of the Philippines, especially its police force, and our relationship with China, especially in HongKong, who, after hearing this sad news, had placed the Philippines in its list of countries unsafe for travel (in high-level black alert). Looking into the depths of the story, wherever you look at it, it is our country's lack of consideration to our police force and the salaries and benefits they get, lack of support from the government, lack of safety practices for our policemen to ensure that hostages are kept safe and unharmed, and lack of principle and much reliance and belief on a person who just made a statement without verifying the whole condition and situation of the hostages and the hostage-taker, when just because one person stated that "everyone is already dead" ("patay na lahat...wala na...patay na ang lahat..." --- the trauma-stricken statement of the driver of the bus who escaped and survived), that made this big scene have a bloody ending. Yes. It is our fault. Yet, this incident was something of the bizarre. Something far from the thoughts of many Filipinos that would happen to this country, not to expect being done by a policeman, who is known to be the Most Outstanding Police Officer for his unparalleled service to the public. Pardon me for stating that "it is our fault" for in fact, it is, no matter how we turn the tables. But then again, this is something we do not want. We did not want these things to happen. We did not intend to make this happen. It was all a product of the lack-ness of many things that prompted Mr. Mendoza to waste his life like this just so justice may be served on his favor. This is a call for a change in our system. The WHOLE PHILIPPINE SYSTEM. But, I pray we could all be one in praying for all the victims of this tragedy, even those who were at fault that they may be enlightened. God bless this country!