Manila Terror - A Blogger/ Fellow Human's Viewpoint: Screw the Social System

"Now the question besets us all is, Who is Captain Rolando Mendoza?


Captain Rolando Mendoza, 56, is a bemedalled cop who was months away from his mandatory retirement from his police service as revealed by the records of the police authorities. As revealed by the DPRM (Director of Police Records and Management, Mendoza should have been an honorable retiree cop who obtained a total of 17 police service medal and a commendation for excellent job performance. Among the awards received were: Medalya ng Papuri; PNP Badge of Honor; Medalya ng Kasanayan; Medalya ng Kagalingan; and Medalya ng Paglilingkod. He was a graduate of the Philippine College of Criminology who entered the law enforcement service through the PC-INP in 1981. Police service apparently runs in the veins of Mendoza's Family.


Hence, it shows that Captain Rolando Mendoza was a dedicated policeman who worked hard during his entire period of service as a policeman. Based on his records, he was a good man who wanted to serve the public.


Why then? It is impossible to believe that a man who have been faithful during the entire period of his service would turn out a be z monster thereafter. What was the reason behind such aggressive acts of a kind hearted man?


Now the next question that besets us, is, "Why did he do such horrible thing?!"


According to reliable sources, trouble in Mendoza's life occured in 2008 when he and at least four other policemen were accused of extorting money from a chef whom they accosted alledgedly for parking violation and possession of illegal drugs.


As a result of these incident, Mendoza meted 90 day preventive suspension. But was reinstated after the suspension was served. But on February 16 of 2009, he was dismissed from service.
According to one policeman, he was depressed due to his early dismissal because the order comes with the forfeiture of his retirement benefits and perpetual disqualification from government service. As mentioned by a doctor, Mendoza's acts was prompted by his depression. Post depression.


Hence, it is sad to say that the big wrong decision of Captain Rolando Mendoza to hostage the Chinese Nationals and Filipinos in the bus was due to his post depression of the dismissal and perpetual disqualification event.


Now these are the questions that worried us,


"Was he really that bad?


What was the reason behind that causes him to shot the victims? Who should be blame?
Do you believe that he really wanted to kill them? Or something or some event prompted him to act aggresively?


Should we blame the police authorities for taking his relatives aggresively?
Was that the reason that prompted him to act like that?


Of the 15 Hong Kong tourists being held hostage on a tour bus in the Phillipines capital of Manila, seven have been reported killed.


The hostage-taking gunman, Rolando Mendoza, a former police captain who was armed with an M-16 assault rifle, has also been killed.


Our prayers go to the families of those who were killed in this senseless tragedy." 


Quoted by Victormagbuana21 in Youtube. 

When I first read about the news, I thought it was another terrorism news in the papers. Well, as a journalism student, I tend to look things from some angles, but let's don't talk about news and viewpoints here. 


I felt sad for the victims, including the hostage taker himself. The reason why I quoted this users' words is to provide a balanced perception on Mendoza. 


What I want to pinpoint is this: 


Our social system doesn't care a damn on your well-being and social welfare.


In your adult days, you will be struggling to work, and maintain your job from 8 to 6 in the evening every single day (to some, they have to work at weekends). You have to face unnecessary stress, meet with different people, while trying to maintain your own integrity while you compromise, and your days are going round and round, as if you're in a prison state. 


You do this everyday all for the sake of something that is devaluing over time. As more money supply circulates the financial system, more debts were generated, causing higher inflation rate, while decreasing the currency value of all. As a result, price rises, unemployment rates increases, companies begin to get busted. 


Of course, people are getting busier and busier all the time, while they are worrying of their lives and their fate, while struggling and competing among each other for survival. 


Well, Mendoza was believed to have some sort of depression that made him did such a desperate, avoidable act that only destructs himself at the end. He pleaded for the job he lost, well, in a desperate manner. 


Jiddu Krishnamurti, a philosopher, once mentioned "There is no cure for a profoundingly sick society." If you relate this tragedy to the money system (do look at it from the economical view), you will find a bigger view on how screw up our world is. Even suicide rates have been increasing over the last 60 years (WHO reports). 


Well, I posted this in order to provoke thoughts, and hopefully, actions, for a better change. We have to do something about this. In order to change, we need the majority to do so. After all, capitalism ran in an orderly manner because people were unaware on how destructive the system is. 


My deepest condolences to the families of the lost one. May God be with you.