What I thought of the Hostage Crisis

When something tragically bad happens. Something so stupid, inconsiderate, and dangerous, what appropriate emotion should I be feeling?

As a filipino I feel the kind of embarassed and shame reserved only for this kind of situation.

My outrage is that, our politicians, police people and others CLEARLY did not handle this as an international crisis on the first instance it should have been. These are clearly foreign tourists, not of the WEST but asia and it is so shamefull that even our government officials didn't do what was neccessary as a HOST to these foreign guests.

• The president didn't have a good excuse why he didn't communicate with the foreign dignitary who tried to reach him. Basically he snubbed him.
• The MAYOR, left it to a former-actor vice mayor who has no diplomatic nor organizational ability.
• The highest echelons of the Police and ALL the resources (ballistic shields, bullet proof vests, tactical weapons and equipment) were not used or at least BORROWED or Commandeered in such a DESPERATE International Situation.
• Being a Hostage Taking crisis, The military was not SENT to deal with it. Nor was there information and media discipline taken by some of the Media Corporations, even as simple as preserving the bus's crime scene integrity.
• Given how poorly trained and equipped the police, WHY was there no aid asked from China or some neighboring country by us? It may be embarrassing to ask help, but MORE embarrassing if PEOPLE DIED and that is what happened! WHy didn't the IDIOTS consider this as an opportunity to WORK TOGETHER and defer to someone with more experience, training and better equipment.
• Even after what all happened, the Aquino Government paid respects poorly. The president did not look sincere: not to some of us who watched him and ESPECIALLY to our Chinese Neighbors. FUBAR after FUBAR!!!

The whole world knows how bad we screwed up... I don't mind that getting out... but at the cost of lives thats associated guilt is just so bad. I feel that having poorly treated an important trade and tourist partner, the actions of the government reflects VERY POORLY the sentiments of many of its people.

I mean the Police being shown how vulnerable they are after years of budget cuts, losing their best and brightest, and the general organizational incompatibility with our very In-effective Justice System.

What is worse: under any other previous president except AN AQUINO, this would have fared better:
GMA - her anti-coup, micro-management, and ability to divert resources where it counts. She would have nailed this situation easy.

ERAP - He had Lacson, his bannerman would have just approached this with overwhelming amount of resources.

RAMOS - West Point, a former General etc. etc... He would have done this by the BOOK.

MARCOS - of all of them, he would have made this GOLD the way he made OPEC let him kill off Muslim insurgents. He was the king of the International PR spin in Presidents. The curse of Marcos, never will the Philippines ever have someone as competent, capable and because he had absolute power: Absolutely Corruptible!

CORY - the same as what happened in the 15 coups in her term.

PNOY - ... history speaks for itself.