I’m sure most of you are aware what happened today in Manila—a hostage situation involving thirty two children (age 5-7) and two teachers in a bus. Like most here in the Philippines, I’ve been following this story most of the day. It is now about 7:30 pm, and all of the children have been released. I praise God that the children were not harmed. I first heard about this situation through a text message. As I turned on the television I realized this was happening within a few blocks of my apartment. I did walk over to the general area where the bus was parked. There were hundreds of people standing around, creating a carnival type atmosphere. I talked to a couple of police officers to get the latest news on the negotiations. I spent some time praying that no one would be hurt, especially the children.
Jun Ducat (the hostage taker and day care center owner) apparently did this in order to demand funding for the children’s education. It seemed that he had no intention of harming the children. This was confirmed when one of the children was allowed to leave the bus due to illness.
I am relieved that no one was hurt, but I am appalled at what has happened today. Apparently Ducat told everyone that he was taking these children on a field trip. The parents allowed their children to go, only to experience the most horrifying day of their lives. Perhaps Ducat felt desperate, but this was no excuse to put those children’s lives in danger. Endangering the very children you claim to love is the ultimate contradiction.
“And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.”
-Matthew 18:5-6
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13 comments:
Alam mo ba na nakahinga lang ako noong palabasin na ang mga bata!
kuya, feeling ko maganda naman yung intention nung hostage taker kasi kahit papano, hindi niya sinaktan yung mga bata... thank god
total contradiction and total ka-tangahan. if he was in his right mind, he wouldn't have to do that. nagpapa-hero pero mali naman. it looked tuloy na nagpapa-press lang si Bong Revilla at the expense of those kids.
Dame,
I think his intentions were good, but the fact is that he put those kids in danger. What if someone started firing bullets? What if one of those grenades accidentally went off in the bus. Sorry, but have no sympathy for what he did.
the end never justifies the means. kevin's right...something could have gone wrong. because nothing went amiss, then we might be able to say OK lang...but what IF something DID go wrong...what then? it's no joke to play with other people's lives...and kids at that. he misused their (and parents) trust.
yep he has a good intentions nga, pero mali naman yung way na naisip niya.. but maybe gusto niya lang iparating ang mga mali ng gobyerno,mali lang talaga yung action niya.. mabuti nalang walang nasaktan sa mga bata.
i was there, stuck in traffic and was praying too. the Lord taught me 1 thing : many of us are no different from the hostage-taker. we want something but we do crazy stuff to achive it or ask others who we think might help us. but have we thought on calling God in times of desperation? especially when we become so impatient, many of us react in such manner. i wish i had a chance to talk to mr.ducat and tell him how noble his intention was. i wish i had the chance to tell him God is the answer.
Thanks for reading and for your comments :)
this hostage drama is an eye opener to all of us but esp.to our leaders in the Philippines. We must be serious in dealing with the problem esp. in the education programs for the poor. We hope that the gov't focus on the issue to make poverty a history.
the hostage taker risks his lfe and the children. he has the right motive but wrong obedience and has to face the consequences. even the lives of the children are now at risks to the person you trusted for. I emphatized the feelings of the parents. safety is the big issue.
how many person more like mr. ducat that has grievances because of the rotten political system, how many children will risks their lives like this to open the mind of all eaders in the country. are the children of today has really a brighter tomorrow????
a case like that endangers the mind of the child and cause traumatic life experience. let us pray for the children that they may not feel the spirit of rebellion towards the leaders. not all leaders are bad.
emmanuel-dubai
grabe kala ko ito na ang malalang mangyayari sa pinas buti sa awa ng dyos walang nasaktan and im very proud to jun ducat he do right thing to fight what is rhe right of poor filipino children.
grabe ang nangyari sa totoo mabuti ang ginawa ni jun ducat nilabas nya lng ang katotohanan kaya lag sana hindi nya na inamit ang mga bata pero sa mag silbing aral ang pangyayaring iyan sa lahat ng politician na isipin ang kapakanan ng mahihirap bago ang kanilang sarili at sa bigyan talaga ng impotansya ang edokasyon , pabahay at trabaho para sa mamamayang pilipino.
Thanks for reading guys. I agree that Ducat's intentions were good, but this was simply the wrong way to make his point. You are, of course entitled to your opinion :)
Hope you enjoy your Holy Week celebrations.
Dear Kuya,
This is a great example of how Filipinos are desperately on how to go with their daily lives. To set aside both issues, the children had been abused and this guy is wrong. but the message has not been resolved. Considered by the Malacanang men as an international embarassment of such a criminal act. it is and is not goes through the lines. It is a great desperation of voicing out painful sufferings of the poor, nobody cares, to regress the government of its inaction on the allegations of Election fraud, poverty, uneven distribution of wealth, politicking of every issues in the country today, corruption, grandstanding, amongst other inept government function. I may not say and be blinded by the fact that all countries in the world has its own problems to deal with but with this criminal act (which i also condemns) i hope the message get across the globe, that the poorest of the poor in the philippines needs help. if not to reform the government, to change it all some cost. People power is definely out of the scenario since the Filipinoes already tired and sick of these grandstanding en-mass and used by the top government honcho and families to catapult to power. Power grab as they call it or worse "Mob Rule" without reminding themselves its People Power they call and shouted at the world order as a peaceful means of changing government before they were seated in the Palace. I believe in the power of prayers. I think, and i indulge your generousity to form prayer groups to ask God to move the Republic of the Philippines, The State, our Country and NOT the Goverment to a better government in his time and what God Wanted for us... we remain upon his will.
May God finally bring us to his fatherly justice and protect us from evil, of any kind.
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