Emotional Over the Hostage Crisis

Whenever I hear about discussions on the recent hostage crisis, I feel hurt, sad, angry… and everything. It is a mixed emotion that I cannot clearly identify or explain.

The hostage crisis on Aug. 23 in Manila took the lives of eight Hong Kong residents who went here in the Philippines with families and friends to see the beauty that our country boasts. I can only imagine the anguish that their families and friends are feeling now. My heart is hurting for them.

And believe it or not, my heart also goes out to the slain hostage-taker, who is among the thousands of victims of injustice and corruption in the Philippine government system.

When I saw the caskets of the eight hostage victims that are brought to the airport (in honorable caskets, escorted with honor guards), I can’t help but think and feel really sad for the Filipino overseas workers who return to the country either severely injured or dead.

It is already common news here when an OFW dies in the hands of their Chinese/ Arabian/ foreign employers. Many of them “returned” to the country in what looks like a “balik-bayan” box—really dishonored... with the foreign culprits remaining unpunished and the number of abuses against OFWs still high.

Naisip ko lang… Kung ang ibang lahi ang nasaktan sa bayan natin, maayos natin silang inaasikaso. Pero kung ang mga Pilipino naman ang nasaktan o namatay sa Hong Kong, Saudi, o sa iba pang dayuhang bayan, parang baboy kung ituring ang mga sawim-palad nating mga kababayan. :(