Watching the news and saw a hostage situation in the Philippines...
By thrwbckjay67
@thrwbckjay67 (2870)
United States
March 28, 2007 1:04am CST
I am Filipino-American, and it was disturbing when I turned on the news and heard about the awful hostage situation happening there currently. I don't know the whole story, and to be honest with you, being here in the United States means that while I sympathize with the people involved, I don't know if I can't empathize or relate to the issue at hand.
My native Filipino brothers and sisters, how does this make you feel? what are your thoughts about it? I do claim that I don't know much about this situation, but I definitely do want to know more... I always am interested in the things that happen in the country of my mother and her family. Thanks
4 people like this
18 responses
@vesuvius (1677)
• Philippines
28 Mar 07
I am a Filipino and indeed I am disturbed by that news too.. It makes me feel upset because very young children are involved. A man named Jun Ducat with 2 other guys held the 32 kids and 2 teachers as hostage at a field trip bus early this morning here in the Philippines. I believe he [Ducat] was in fact the one who sponsored the field trip. Many people believe that this action of Ducat is because of so much concern because his demands are related to the welfare of the students.. Allegedly, this Jun Ducat had already hostaged people 20 years ago, so he's already got one record from the police.. Im just puzzled if he had been in jail for that..
It is apparent that the intentions of this guy would have been good but his actions dont make it appear like that..
I just hope the kids get rescued early before it affects their minds...
Let's pray for them all...
3 people like this
@thrwbckjay67 (2870)
• United States
28 Mar 07
I understand the teacher's concerns... I mean, there are issues about whether some preschools here in the United States are proficient and adequate. I can't understand someone doing this as a way to publicize their feelings. His intentions might be noble, but this is no way to show it.
I can't believe that this individual who has already taken hostages once has done it again.
I pray for the children here. I heard it was resolved this morning, thankfully, but I hope that they are truly okay and are not affected by this horrible event in the future.
1 person likes this
@luzamper (1357)
• Philippines
28 Mar 07
Yes, it happened again and accordingly, there were international press including bbc and therefore, the news easily spread around the world. But as usual, we do our own activities here. We're sad also to hear the news but there are people who are fond of such things and they take advantage of the wide publicity. Politicians are there and some of those popular people and that's the irony of it. That's supposed to be a sad and bad news, but we couldn't hold laughing at it sometimes, on how the concerned authorities handle such matters. The victims are the victims and that's very sad on their part. They are abused in favor of those people who are there for publicity's sake. Don't worry for the Filipinos here can manage.
@inovator (603)
• Philippines
28 Mar 07
nice..im a pure filipino,,and im happy that even you are far from here you are still concern...well all i can say to that issues...hmmmmmmmm maybe it was a political problem!!!some of them are the reason why they do that horryfying things was b ecause they dont get the power what they want to have...the only things i can do is to pray....anyway thank you for your concern.....can you be my friend?
2 people like this
@25th_Stargazer (887)
• Philippines
28 Mar 07
The hostage taking is already resolved, I just saw it on tv. The kids were subjected to some kind of debriefing. I don't know what they mean by "debriefing". Maybe it is a kind of talk to at least protect them from a possible psychological trauma of what has happened. The hostage taker, the news said, might be facing life time imprisonment.
2 people like this
@myworld_and_you (1223)
• Philippines
28 Mar 07
Yeah, the hostage thingy was aweful. I was kinda in a hurry when I viewed the news. It was a hostage inside a bus. Oh men! I forgot the name of the hostage taker! If I'm not mistaken, his name is Jud Dacat? ANyhow, some students from a reputable school were being hostaged and I guess there were some teachers there too. THe hostage taker was the only one doing the situation and I was also disturbed by this because I found the police force kinda dumb on the situation. It was only a one man who did the hostage but seems that the police force couldn't figure out what would be the right thing to do. Oh well, that was all that I saw. I'm gonna go back to this discussion once I get back home and know the full details. :)
@northerndwarf (59)
• Canada
28 Mar 07
Last night I was watching TV and going up and down the channel list. On CNN I saw some breaking news about this hostage situation. 32 children and 2 teachers were taken hostage by 3 armed men. They claim to want better schools for the children. One child was taken off the bus sick and carried to hospital. In addition, the items the men were asking for were candles and cellphone batteries, indicating that the children could be in the bus for a long time.
I don't really know why people would take hostages, other than it might tell the public what their demands are without using violence.
2 people like this
@arseniajoaquin (1732)
• Philippines
28 Mar 07
This is the link to the news
http://news.yahoo.com/page/messageboards;_ylt=AkiTHFY24TBu7cd0wg13ym39xg8F
We have laws to be followed and his means is not in accordance with the law. I just hope the government authorities could resolve the problem peacefully.
1 person likes this
@abednego7 (1060)
• Philippines
28 Mar 07
Sadly our law is not that enough to be heard by this government. Law like they say is for rich and known personalities only. Would you believe that his message will be heard by Malacañang if he did not do what he he'd done. Sometimes life here in our beloved country is just like a movies. You have to become blooded just to know that you are hurt and alive.
@thrwbckjay67 (2870)
• United States
28 Mar 07
here's my comment to you, abednego7.
I have already stated that I do not know the struggles of the Philippines, I don't claim to. But I am looking to be more informed everyday. I will tell you that I have struggled in the United States to assimilate myself and that the battles are not always fought on the battlefield. I am a Filipino-American, and an African-American. I am of mixed racial background... Tagalog was my first language, so I entered school with an "accent" that people laughed at and ridiculed at times. I fought forward... if it wasn't for my education and the support that I received from good instructors who cared for me, much like I'm sure Mr. Ducat cared for those children...
I have personally fought for better education. I have joined student organizations in high school and college to support the betterment of the California state school system. I know a lot of times the cries of my organizations went unheard by the government. Not once did I ever consider taking a high school hostage by force.
Is that supposed to make people look at you as a martyr? There are better ways, you might still be resorted to force, but there is no need to involve anyone who is innocent, including children or adults... i don't care about the age. The government officials looking at that probably are just scoffing at the actions of a "Crazy" person who got loose in the system. I wouldn't be surprised if that man affected little change... it would have been a more concentrated effort to educate people of influence about his struggles, cause then they would also be equipped with the information as well.
You fight those battles, sure; I don't claim to have fought the types of battles that I'm sure my native Filipino brothers and sisters fight on a daily basis, but I also don't think that the way things were handled right.
There are laws for a reason, like arseniajoaquin said... follow those laws. It might not always be the easier route, but it's the right way.
1 person likes this
@rsa101 (37968)
• Philippines
28 Mar 07
I just say it was just an attention seeker taking opportune with the election campaign going on in here. I guess he has some points aired but the method he used was never correct in some ways. It is said that he has done the same things several years ago when he took hostage of a priest for him not paying him on time. He also made some protest during the last presidential campaign by hunger strike against a certain politician who is running for presidency. I guess he has some history of seeking public attention. Again he has done another one right now.
1 person likes this
@clod0327 (817)
• Philippines
29 Mar 07
Jun Ducat, the hostage taker, is an owner of a Day Care Center in Tondo where the kids are studying. Apparently he held hostage the 26 kids (it was initially reported to be 31 kids, but after they we’re released, they found out that it was just 26) and the 3 teachers because he just wants to demand support from the government for the education of at least 145 school children of the Musmos Daycare and improved housing for them and their families.
Although the intentions we’re good, I clearly don’t approve the way he wants his concerns to be heard. Those kids that he hostage are still so young and this might cause a trauma on the kids. He can air out his concerns by not involving the kids. Imagine, taking the kids as hostage for 10 hours and this are just kindergarten-aged kids. If I’m one of the parents of those kids, I would really be worried of the situation my kid is undergoing and I would really be furious with Ducat.
There are a lot of ways on how he can air his concern and I think what he did was really violent. Can you imagine an armed man holding a grenade, an UZI, and a .45 caliber pistol taking your kid as hostage? If we’re the parents of these kids, though his intentions are good, I would really be furious with him.
@Rexy_leigh (1189)
• Philippines
28 Mar 07
That's a pretty sad news I got yesterday when I switched on my TV when I woke up at around 6:30 pm for dinner. I felt bothered as well for I know these things would surely happen here in our country especially that election is coming.
well, the hostage taker has been demanding for free housing and education for the poor people. It's good though that he's very concerned with the locals here who barely earn a decent living. But his demands and concerns could have been laid out in a much nicer way, not like this one which had put the government and the country as a whole in public scrutiny especially to the foreign investors as there were quite a few international press who came over to witness this incident... *sigh*
and another thing I hate in this incident was the politicians and other "power and publicity hungry" who are taking advantage of this one to make the people believe that they do care in whatever way they have shown through the wide array of interviews and speeches they have given to the media men in line with this hostage taking thingie here.
well, everything has been done and am glad the hostage taker had freed his hostages at 7PM as he promised without even one of them being physically hurt..but am afraid still that trauma could take a great part on these young people's minds.. *which I hope not*
1 person likes this
@vebela (310)
• United States
28 Mar 07
My husband told me about this situation in the middle of the night. I was worried about it, and was having wierd dreams all night. But, before I left for work this morning, there was one line about hostages being released in Manila and the hostage-taker surrending that scrolled across the news flashes of the morning news. Thank goodness the children are physically safe.
I can understand what people are saying about the culprit. What he wanted was to better the children's situation, and he didn't want to harm the children. Nevertheless, he did harm the children by taking them hostage. He might have taken care of them physically, by asking for food for them and what not. I can understand that his intentions were good. However, being a hostage, regardless of intentions and situations is harmful mentally.
There are other and better ways to be heard, outside of taking people hostage, especially when they are children. If only people can see that and take advantage of other ways, things would seem a lot less crazy and a lot more stable.
@adrenalyne_rush (126)
• Philippines
29 Mar 07
mr. poster(thrwbckjay67), are you aware of what's really happening here in this country? maybe not. did you know that lots of children who belong to the unfortunate cannot go to school? poverty is the common problem why their parents can't send them to school. now poverty issue is too general. he's fighting for the children's education. that guy is a millionare who runs a free day care center for kids. he can't handle all of those children to accomodate their needs for education. he protests for free education for the unfortunate which the government should be doing. yes there is a free but why can't everyone have it? it's just that the politicians here in this country are so corrupt. you're paying taxes then it goes to their pockets.
@ronreyes (4724)
• Philippines
28 Mar 07
Hostage-taking is bad but I agree with the intention of the hostage-taker. He didn't asked for money or anything. All he wanted is that the Philippine Government will grant his request of giving a free education and shelter to those unfortunate children who can't barely eat once a day. I must admit that his intention is kinda sweet and had a deep sense. It really blew the minds of the Filipino people especially the politicians who are running for this coming election. Good news is that no one has been hurt by the incident, and the hostage-taker surrendered in a peaceful manner. But somehow, I think the incident gave the poor children (the hostages) a trauma which is not right for their young age. It may cause a phobia for them to go out in public once again.
Hey! thanks for your concern for the Philippines and the Filipino people! That's a very nice attitude!
Hope God will bless you more!
- Ron Reyes
www.ronreyes.co.nr
1 person likes this
@thrwbckjay67 (2870)
• United States
28 Mar 07
Thank you for your kind words!
I might have stated this earlier on another comment, but I understand the concerns about education and making sure everyone is afforded those same opportunities. And I also understand, as some have pointed out, that sometimes the government turns a blind eye to these issues. Believe me, we have these issues here in the United States everyday. I just still can't wrap my head around the fact that it would have to come down to this.
The welfare of the children concerns me the most. I have never grown up around that type of environment, where the people are always living and having to fight for their rights... but it pains me that they must use other people to advance their causes. I really hope these children suffer no effects, but it is too soon to tell.
1 person likes this
@whacks (774)
• Philippines
29 Mar 07
The children are pitiful. They are the real victims for the whims and caprices of that man. He should be punished. If ever he really wanted to help those students, he should not have done that. That's foolishness. If he is not capable to support his students, nobody is forcing him to help. He should do what he can for nobody requires him to do beyond his capability. He thinks he's a hero for that. He is crazy doing such things.
@secretbear (19448)
• Philippines
29 Mar 07
i dont think jun ducat means any harm to the children. he's just an eccentric person and i think he just got desperate and sick and tired of the government system here in the country that's why he was able to do that. maybe most of the people who knows about that incident think that jun ducat was overreacting or just as mad as those in a mental institution just because he wants to be heard regarding his views on corruption and politics but i think we should look at this critically - i think it should be a wake up call to everyone of us esp those in the government that our political system is so dirty that even the most idealistic of us would be tarnished. it was just bad when he had to resort to hostaging all those kids, his mind was so clouded up that he forgot that those kids still has futures waiting for them. i think he should have taken hostage a politician. ^__^;;
@domesticengineer (576)
• Philippines
29 Mar 07
I have followed the news regarding this hostage taking yesterday from morning, when the hostage taking started up to night, when the hostages were released. It was pretty scary especially because day care kids were the hostages. I just don't think the hostage taker is really a bad person because he's known to be a very generous and kind person by everyone who knew him. I just don't like his way of getting attention from people whom he wanted to ask favor from. He was asking for full scholarship for those children because he said he cannot anymore give free schooling for this kids. He was the one who put up this free day care center for poor children in a specific barrio in Taguig. Well, I think the politicians again took advantage of the situation and went to the scene to negotiate with Mr. Ducat, the hostage taker, and when the hostages were released they, themselves, believed that they were the heroes in the event that happened.
@ryanphil01 (4182)
• Philippines
29 Mar 07
well, you had your own views regarding the incident on hostage taking in manila yesterday. the grievance of mr ducat could have been channeled to the proper forum. it would have been noble on his part if he addressed or aired his concern on education and corruption to the chief executive through his friend the senator bong revilla . anyhow, it happened already...the government took the situation and learned the hard way.
