ON IGNORANCE, INCOMPETENCE, AND INJUSTICE: THERE WAS HOPE FOR MENDOZA AND HIS CAPTIVES

Photo taken from msnbc.com

Yesterday, the whole world is mourning for those who died in the tragic end of the Quirino Grandstand Hostage Crisis.

It was a happy day for the final leg of the Chinese nationals', which is a trip to Ocean Park, before leaving in the afternoon for Hong Kong. And they have never thought that they would be the subject of a disgruntled man named Inspector Rolando Mendoza.

I have been hearing and reading messages in different social networking sites expressing how disgusted they are with the PNP, and how they despise Insp. Mendoza's evil and selfish deed.

On the take against Insp. Mendoza, I beg to disagree.

According to Jean Jacques- Rosseau, man is naturally good, but civilization and society warps him. Is crime a natural choice for man? Or is it because man is left with nothing but to commit crime to survive?

If the civil government or a single ruling power is supposed to maintain peace and order, why are there criminals? Why are there deaths, disgruntled military and police officers, and endless poverty due to graft and corruption? Didn't it ever occur to those who are blaming Mendoza for putting justice in his own hands, that there is no such thing as justice to the small men in this country?

I am biased in this situation because I know that Insp. Mendoza is a good man. He was awarded in 2008 as one of the most outstanding policemen in the country, and was a runner- up again in the recently concluded most outstanding policemen awarding ceremony in 2009. How did I know? My mother was one of the judges in the 2009 ceremony, and the credentials of the candidates were reviewed. I managed to check Insp. Mendoza's, and as far as I can remember, his records are clean. And according to an interview, he's passionate about his work, and is so proud to have been awarded as one of the most outstanding policemen. Though he didn't reach the top posts in his lifetime of service, he still remained happy and contented, and have offered his life in serving the country, and has become a role model for the younger policemen.

I am deeply hurt because I know that the man is naturally good. And for him to become evil, something must've really oppressed him. I have to admit that I cried last night after knowing how his life and the lives of the innocent tourists have tragically ended. I wasn't directly affected, but apart from the deaths, I am lamenting more at the death of justice in our country.

I am totally against his deed. But can you blame the man? He has lost his sanity somewhere along the way. And it's not as if he didn't try going through the due processes. It came from him that he appealed his case, and the Ombudsman did nothing to solve it. He was easily kicked out from his position that he has worked so hard to reach.

Justice delayed, is justice denied. All that the man is asking is a piece of paper from the ombudsman, for them to clear his name, and he will surrender. Why can't they give that to him? It just goes to show that there was a big hullabaloo in his termination. That's why the man has put the matter in his own hands.

And the incompetence and ignorance of the PNP are to blame for the tragic end of the hostage crisis. For Christ's sake PNoy, why are you applauding the PNP for their courageous act? Almost everyone died in the bus when in fact, they could've been saved! And they say that the media has blown the story out of proportion, given the fact that they serve as the monitor for Mendoza and the outside world? C'mon, I'm pretty sure, if there was no media coverage, the PNP would have rained bullets and bazookas on the bus without even thinking of the innocent lives inside! All that they care about is to shut Mendoza's trap once and for all before he names all the demons in the PNP.

The PNP should know about a thing or two about Psychology. A hostage- taker is not in his/her proper state of mind. It's a do or die situation for them, and further threatening them will not make them surrender. Did they think that arresting Mendoza's brother is the only way to solve the problem? Let us consider that killing everyone may not be part of the plan, because according to the survivors, Insp. Mendoza was calm at first and is asking for justice. He wasn't threatening anyone until some brilliant police suggested that they arrest Mendoza's brother and use it against him. In a sense, the PNP is to blame for the hostage crisis' tragic end. The best thing that they could have done is to dissuade Mendoza and arrest him. That way, there would be no bloodshed.

It just goes to show that these incompetent and stupid policemen are trying to replace their failure by arresting an "accessory to the crime". C'mon. You gotta be kidding me. It's so funny that they started pulling crimes and charges out of thin air so that they could repress Mendoza's brother. Talk about INJUSTICE.

And to end this note, I do believe that the man is innocent of the crimes charged against him. We have seen his house in Tanauan. It is not too good for a policeman who's earning 19k a month. They have two cars because their parents have money to somehow afford a good life for their children.

And if Rolando Mendoza is indeed, a fugitive, why would he roam freely? Why isn't he behind bars? Why didn't we hear this in the news? Why would someone make a scene if he/she is guilty? Case in point: Panfilo Lacson. All evidences are pointing to him as the brain behind the notorious Kuratong Baleleng Gang. If he was indeed innocent, he would do the same thing. Another case in point: Jun Lozada. If the man was indeed part of the ZTE scam, would he risk his life and his family for his crusade against corruption if what he's saying is not true?

Let us remember the case of Jun Ducat. He was a good man, until society pushed him to do harm, for him to do good.

There are a few good men in the service. And it is so sad that justice itself is turning them evil not because they want to, but they have to.

I PRAY FOR THE REPOSE OF THE SOUL OF THE CHINESE NATIONALS, INSP. MENDOZA, AND MOST ESPECIALLY, THE JUSTICE IN THIS COUNTRY.