I know I said I’d be giving the next set of blogs about this beautiful place. But unfortunately, before we go on to that, let me take a small commercial.
Everyone must already know what happened on August 23, 2010 for approximately 12 hours in the Quirino Grandstand in Manila. It was all over news, even CNN and Twitter had 3-6 of their trending topics about the hostage taking.
For those living under a rock, let me recap what I’m talking about.
On August 23, 2010 at approximately 10am, former police Rolando Mendoza boarded a Hong Thai tourist bus that had 25 people, including 4 Filipinos and 21 Chinese nationals. The tourists had been headed to Mall of Asia (correct me if I’m wrong, at this time of the day, I was whining about school) and were stopped by Rolando Mendoza on the way.
A few minutes later, the last of Rolando Mendoza’s good heart released the first batch of hostages, the first were two women and at 10.30, a mother, her two children and a family friend who was also a child.
This was also the time when Gregorio Mendoza, brother of the hostage-taker, requested to negotiate with his brother in personal to which his request was denied (and foolishly, if I may).
At noon, Rolando Mendoza released an elderly woman.
1pm, the bus was refilled with gas and delivered Jolibee to the tourists for their lunch (say how lucky Jolibee is with a hostage taking incident to have become its newest commercial).
At 2.19pm, Rigor Cruz, a photographer was released and the PNP FINALLY sent someone to negotiate with Rolando Mendoza (sheesh, it took 4 hours to get someone to do some negotiations?)
At 4.37pm, Danilo Medril, also a photographer, was released.
At 4.45pm, the bus was refilled again with food and drinks (who knew this would be their last meal? Such tragedy).
At 6.20pm, the negotiators arrived with the Ombudsman results promising that his case would be reopened, upsetting the hostage taker.
At 6.30pm, two gunshots were heard from the bus and Rolando Mendoza threatened to kill the hostages if the SWAT team did not leave the area.
7.07pm, he refused to talk to any of his family members and threatened again to kill the hostages.
7.30pm, the driver of the bus escaped (I don’t exactly know how, but I saw a video of him climbing out the window despite another picture of him being clammed to the steering wheel. He ran to the negotiators, frantic and declaring the passengers were all dead.
7.37pm, the police decided it was time to take action and began to crawl around the bus. They tried to smash the doors open with a mallet (and didn’t seem to have eaten breakfast apparently) and managed to get the emergency door open. Despite the one thing they were able to do after so many hours, the hostage taker shot at them, injuring one of the officials (boohoo!) and another bystander (it wasn’t a movie shoot! Yes, the bullets are real!).
At this time, I was already watching the news and practically screaming at the TV for some action.This was also around the time when the police arrested his brother while in protest and even if they hadn’t done anything wrong (- yet. Just kidding), they had to be treated like criminals, cuffed and mistreated – all of which were publicized by the media and thus, seen by Rolando Mendoza on the bus’s TV and thus, upsetting him even more.
8.40pm, PNP had another brainstorm. Teargas!
8.41pm, gunshots were heard and few minutes later, a body slumped through the front door of the bus.
The world silently awaited for anyone, anyone at all to still be alive to come out of the emergency door as the police scrambled inside.
I remember feeling a slight twinge of hope as we saw two people climbing out of the bus. I also remember almost tearing up as I saw the woman in the white sweater sobbing as she climbed out of the bus. I could only imagine what she had just been through.
This event, taking almost 12 hours, resulted in 9 deaths including the hostage taker. Only 6 of the people in the bus survived. May the victims of the hostage taking rest in peace and those who survived, be guided by the Lord to peace of mind.
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The aftermath of these events have been great. Hong Kong has banned travels to the Philippines – greatly affecting tourism in the country, followed by many other countries like Russia, Singapore and Thailand.
China has been aggressive about the incident, protesting when the Philippine flag was raised over Mendoza’s coffin.
CNN was particularly very, very disappointing and offensive when they publicly declared the Philippines as the worst country to go to.
A young, high school student wrote a letter stating people not to judge the Philippines because of one person.
Tweets had begged people not to judge everyone the same as Rolando Mendoza.
Hateful and racist Facebook pages have been set up against the Philippines.
Thousands of Hong Kong and Chinese nationals have canceled their trips to the Philippines.
The sad aftermath of an event that took less than 12 hours are huge and irreversible.
But despite it all, I am proud of the aftermath.
Why?
Because actions are being taken to bring justice.
Although, there is no justice to the loss of 8 tourists who had only come to the Philippines for enjoyment, the Philippine government have chosen to apologize and extend their deepest concerns for the victims.
Investigation on the hostage taking is being processed and officials who have made mistakes are being held accounted for. Policemen who lacked judgment and strategy are hoped to be seen re-trained (or better yet, sacked, but, oh well, sacked policemen aren’t very nice situations anymore).
Philippine tourism is suffering because of this incident and the thing is – WE KNOW WE DESERVE IT.
While we may not be like Rolando Mendoza, he was one of us, and unfortunately, sad may I be to say it, he was a Filipino and his actions provoked international problems that we cannot run away from and that we will endure the suffering and consequences for.
THIS IS OUR AFTERMATH. THIS IS OUR PROBLEM.
THIS IS THE WAY TO JUSTICE.
We may not be Rolando Mendoza. But we are also mourning and suffering the consequences.
To the families of the victims, please do not take offense that this is enough for the loss you have suffered through. You have suffered way more than we all have and from the deepest of our hearts we apologize and we extend our condolences and to God that He may guide your families and your loved ones.
I, in behalf of anyone who feels the same, apologize for Rolando Mendoza’s failure of correct judgment. I apologize for your loss, for everything you have suffered through and for the traumatizing experience the surviving tourists have had and the families who had to go through it.
I wish it all ended here. But it doesn’t…
*pictures courtesy of AFP and News*
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