I Am Ashamed

Yes, I am ashamed about what happened.

I am ashamed about the recent tour-bus-hostage-taking drama in The Philippines. I am ashamed of the blame games and pin-pointing. I am ashamed of the mockery and hate being thrown our way. I am ashamed of how it went, how it ended and how we are still being criticized for it, by the whole world and by our own kind.

There are many questions. There are so many comments on how it should have been done and where we went wrong. There is just so much criticism. Everyone thinks they know better and could have done a better job. Everyone has something to say. Yes there were mistakes, there were errors and it ended bad... but no matter how we dissect what happened, the sad truth is, it cannot be undone.

I was one of those who prayed that it will end peacefully and everyone would be safe. I wish it did not end the way it ended and everyone is still alive. The Philippines already have enough problems of it's own, we definitely do not need this, we do not want this... no one would want for this to happen in their land. It's a very sad ending, not only for the victims but for us Filipinos as well. I wish those who are hating The Philippines now would not have to go through something like this... if they only knew how it feels to be a Filipino now.

I know there were mistakes and it was an embarrassment, but this incident does not define the Filipinos and The Philippines.  I am a Filipino, that is a fact and that fact is not an embarrassment.

I am ashamed and I am deeply sorry for what happened.