As I was watchng the news today, i saw the letter of a young man from the philippines expressing how he felt toward the hostage taking here in Manila. I, an 18 year old college student, is also inspired to share what i feel. Being a Filipino, i also give my deepest condolences to the victims of the hostage taking last monday. It wasn't supposed to happen. I can feel it, i know that there was a way to end it. But, i just couldn't understand why a group of armed SWAT men couldn't do anything about it. I'm not going against them, I just feel terrible about the incident. People died. Innocent people who were in my country to have fun. And now, some of them go home in coffins and some with scars that would take time to heal physically and mentally. I do not blame the people of Hong Kong for being mad. If that were to happen to my fellow filipinos, i would too be so aggravated.
I remember seeing a group of chinese people happily looking around the mall a week ago. I ask myself if they were the one who were in the bus. It hurts me a lot. What would you feel if you knew those people? You see them in the morning, even had the chance to talk to them and suddenly they're dead. It's unbearable. I am already thinking of changing my dream of becoming a teacher to become a police. I want to give those innocent people who died justice. I also wish that there would be some kind of time machine that could rewind it all so that we could've avoided what had happened.
To the bystanders who were taking pictures beside the crime scene, show some respect. How could you be so insensitive when lives were lost? How come you could even smile? It is humiliating enough to our country what had happened and you just added into it. Some respect would suffice.
Up to now, it's raining very hard. It's like heaven mourns for the tragic incident. I couldn't sleep peacefully these days. I dreamt about it one night and as much as i tried to wake up, i couldn't. I was too scared. Too hurt that something like that had happened. I don't know the victims personally, but as a human being, I know the feeling of losing someone.
Again, my deepest condolences to the victims. May they rest in peace. To the survivors, it might take a long time for those heartbreaking wounds to heal. But, don't lose hope. Our God would never let us down. Stay strong. I am really sorry for what had happened. Not all filipinos are like that "deranged" hostage taker. I don't blame you if you all hate us now. I just want to have it fixed. Stay strong and be safe.
what we need now is world peace.
Sincerely,
Sofia