Editorial: Incompetence amidst the crises

IN FULL view of the world, the PNP has proven what all of us know fully too well: that is an incompetent lot we definitely cannot trust in keeping the peace, much more in protecting our lives and limbs. The hostage-taking drama the other day also demonstrated that our officials responsible for responding to the crises were virtually paralyzed and simply cowered in fear. The DILG Secretary, the PNP Chief, and yes, the President himself, literally disappeared and, except for Robredo who came out long after the crises was violently resolved, were nowhere to be found. A top Hongkong official frantically tried to reach President Aquino in the middle of the crises but he just couldn't be reached. Or maybe, he simply refused the call. The alibi was that the Malacañang functionary who took the call did not inform the President about it. If so, who was that fellow and why was he not dismissed first with?

What is strange is that other officials, particularly Vice-mayor Moreno of Manila, was in communication with the hostage taker, who even released seven of the hostages at his instance. Worse, the hostage taker's brother, also a policeman, was in communication with him, but the police forcibly crowded the fellow and violently arrested him. Moreno, or the brother, could have been used by the police to bring the hostage taker to his senses, but it seems this was farthest from the minds of the so-called Manila's Finest. What they probably were hell-bent on doing was to demonstrate that they are like Rome's centurions and woe unto him who would trifle with them.

In a hostage-taking situation, both the hostage taker and the police are virtually on edge. That is why a hostage negotiator must ensure that nothing should make the hostage taker jump over the edge or the police to storm the premises while the negotiation is on-going. Furthermore, the police should be adequately provided so as to lessen the danger to his life.

As it was, the storming policemen were on their everyday uniform, and except for handguns, have nothing to protect them.

Is it any wonder why they cowered like rats alongside the hostage bus? It took them a long while to break the glass door at the rear of the bus, and when they finally did, tried to enter it with drawn handguns. At the first burst of gunfire from the hostage taker, the scampered out of the bus like rats it is a wonder why they didn't break their bones in the process.

All told, the policemen, or their superiors who directed the operation, are an incompetent and cowardly lot they are a disgrace to all police organizations in the world.

Then they arrested his brother and literally manhandled the family members who sought to protect him. Alright, he went into a tantrum, but can't the police understand the terrible stress the fellow was going through? Couldn't they have just placated him instead of grappling with him as if he were a pig for slaughter? And book him for ridiculous charge of conspiring with his brother?

I think this was the trigger which made the hostage taker go over the edge. He saw everything on the TV set on the bus. In his addled mind, the government's unfairness and unjustness was confirmed by the violent way his brother was being subdued.

This was when all hell broke loose.

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It is hard to understand why no official of consequence was on hand while the entire drama was going on. During Ducat's hostage-taking of a group of school children, Senator Bong Revilla and Chavit Singson were right there on the spot. They even boarded the hostage bus to negotiate with Ducat. Now, where was the entire officialdom when then the lives of those Hongkong tourists hang in the balance? Malacañang's dismissing the crises as a police matter is clearly myopic. With foreigners on board, and its disastrous impact on tourism, even the President should have been in reasonably safe distance to at least show his concern. Besides, his presence would have encouraged the negotiation and stayed the hand of the police from any rush actions.

As it was, everybody was immobilized and/or paralyzed.
Hence, the mayhem.