With regards to the recent hostage-taking drama resulting to death of some foreign nationals, I wanted to extend my sympathy and prayers to the families of the aggrieved parties, to the families of the Hongkong Nationalities as well as to the family of Captain Rolando Mendoza.
I went to the office of my mom 8 in the evening and became interested on what they were watching on TV. I got curious and asked what was the live telecast all about and was surprised to the response of my mother. Without looking at me, my mom told me that an ex-captain had detained a tourist bus with Hongkong Nationality-passengers for about 8 hours in exchange for his reinstatement to PNP service. It is a simple yet wishful thinking in my thought. I wanted express my apology in advance for I really have to admit that watching the hostage taking drama is like watching a comedy show with the actuation established by those people involved on the said situation. Not only those of what the uniformed personnel did, but as well as the by standers and the media personnel actuation. Honestly I feel guilty for watching while laughing the said situation, with the policemen trying to intrude the bus half-hearted, it is no joke for several lives was at stake on that very night. I can’t either blame the present government for the incompetence of the PNP Personnel for he only had his position not more than 100 days, so as those PNP personnel thinking also of their safety for they have too their own families.
Being also an only child of a great ex-policeman, I knew how Captain Mendoza felt, for my dad had been on the same problem of having the possibility of being relieved from the service despite of his big contribution to the institution he had served for about 20 years before his retirement though not as serious of what Captain Mendoza’s case. I knew how it felt for Captain Mendoza for I had seen it with my Dad before. I knew how it would ruin not only a person’s self-esteem but his whole personality as well. My dad was more fortunate to have his early retirement in contrast to the miserable end of Captain Mendoza.
This event really is a tragic to all Filipinos yet, I am still hoping that this would also serve as our lesson to be responsible not only to our profession but as well as to each one of us. There’s no point of crying over a spilled milk and pointing fingers of who’s to blame. Maybe we should stop thinking of ourselves alone. The bloody event has taken it course maybe it’s time that we as people do our part stop, listen to our heart and think over so that there would no another Captain Mendoza in the future not only for the sake of our country but being a person with sense of social responsibility. Laws and procedures are made but for some circumstances, we people have the ability to change it for the betterment of all. Sometimes it’s better for us to make some decisions consulting our human side because life cannot be brought back when already taken.