A Letter of Apology and a Hater’s comment (Hostage Tragedy)

Submitted by taga-bundok on Tuesday, 24 August 201015 Comments

I was shocked to read the news yesterday. Just woke up at around 6 PM (Kuwait Time) when I browsed my mobile phone for news and updates. My major concern was that this tragedy would again make the Philippines get the world community’s attention… and yeah, it did. There were mixed emotions. I can’t blame tweeters and other negative remarks from netizens calling my beloved home a “shit country”, having said that… they can’t blame me either for saying that their brains are tucked in their ass for generalizing one man’s hopelessness to a whole nation. And so, I am sharing this letter from a fellow Filipino.

August 23, 2010

“A letter from a teenage Filipino to the WHOLE WORLD”

As you are reading this letter, I bet that you have seen/heard about what happened earlier in our country.Tourists were hostages of a policeman here, Rolando Mendoza. After a few hours of the horrible crime, some of the victims were dead including the hostage-taker.

I wrote this letter not just to apologize but also to let everyone know that we Filipinos are not all like Mendoza. We are loving and good-hearted people.

For so many years, our country has been standing tall and surpassing every dilemma; be it small or big. Years ago (back when I wasn’t born yet), you have watched us fight for what we think is right. We fought for the democracy of our nation.. The EDSA revolution. But that’s just one out of many.

Second. We Filipinos have been serving other countries for our families and we treat you as our own as well. With all due respect, I thank you all for giving us the trust through the years. For helping us to become what we are now.

The Philippines is more than just a group of islands. We are a nation of strong and remarkable people. A country of beauty and love known to be hospitable and well-valued. I humbly apologize for what happened tonight. No one in this world would want something like that to happen for life should be valued.

I politely ask the attention of the world. Please do not judge and mistreat us just because of what happened tonight. I have been searching the net and found terrible things. Hong Kong advices to avoid travels here, China and HK bans Filipinos and that Philippines is the worst place to go.

I can’t blame you for what you have decided but I hope that you could understand. Our country is now in a sea of problems.

And I know for sure that we helped you in a way or another. Let peace and understanding reign this time.I know that this letter will just be trash but I wish that you would understand. On behalf of the Philippine population.. WE ARE SORRY.As a song puts it…And I believe that in my life I will see an end to hopelessness, giving-up and suffering. And we all stand together this one time then no one will get left behind. Stand up for life. STAND UP FOR LOVE.

Sincerely yours,
Reigno Jose Dilao
Catbalogan City, Samar

I am expecting the worst from foreigners to say bullshit with this incident. I saw this comment posted by “Buffyzkie” of Melbourne, Australia.

THE PHILIPPINES WONT GO ANY BETTER CAUSE ALL OF THE PEOPLE SERVING THE COUNTRY IS CROOKED!! HOW WILL YOUR COUNTRY EVEN MOVE FORWARD, ALL THE OFFICIALS HAVE THEIR OWN INTENTIONS , “IS TO GET MONEY FROM THE GOVERNMENT FOR THEIR OWN” .. DAMN COUNTRY!!! YOUR FUCKING SYSTEM IS CROOKED THE SAME AS YOU!! MOVE FORWARD , DISCIPLINE YOURSELVES.. FIX YOUR SHIT COUNTRY MAKE IT BETTER.

Caps lock on… So I assume, He really is at his moment of hatred, anger, disgust and discriminating the Filipino nation. What else can I say?! Oh yeah, may your soul rest in peace.

*Reigno Jose Dilao’s letter grabbed from Music.Words.
*Buffyzkie’s comment quoted from ALLVOICES.com

15 Comments »

goyo said:

the letter is so touching..prayer is what we need..

- 24 August 2010 at 9:02 am

Pong said:

Yeah i agree with Mr. Dilao’s letter. It is completely understandable that the whole world is angry to our country. And I enjoined him, I apologize also to the rest of the world. Also, it is very clear that, what happened is not not good and it’s evil but it’ll not give any license for the Filipino people and the whole country to be generalized as SHITS. Who wants this? Who wants bombing in Iraq? Who wants? We don’t want all these things to happen. Yes you can blame us.

- 24 August 2010 at 9:22 am

admin (author) said:

@ GOYO

indeed…
a while ago I read a tweet that says “what’s goin on with filipinos?! and why are they tweeting to pray for them and not blame them. haha” – vanessafrapps

- 24 August 2010 at 9:23 am

admin (author) said:

@ PONG

It is understandable though to hate and blame but generalizing is absurd. Worst is that discrimination amongst our fellow Filipino’s abroad might rise up. Sad.

- 24 August 2010 at 11:11 am

duking said:

kaysa paulit ulit na idepensa ang ating pagkukulang,gawin natin muling instrumento ang nangyari para maituwid ang totoo namang pagkukulang na naganap sa hostage taking sa quirino.

wala tayong magagawa sapagkat hindi natin maitatatwa na filipino ang hostage taker,filipino ang mga sangkot at biktima ang mga turista mula hongkong,at higit,sa pilipinas nangyari.

patriotismo ang pagpapahayag na tagumpay natin si manny pacquiao at patriotismo rin ang pag ako ng kakulangan ng mga pulis,karuwagan ni mendoza at kahihiyan ng iresponsableng media na masugid nating tinatangkilik.

badtrip man pero ito ang katotohanan.sinasalamin tayo ni manny pacquiao sa tagumpay,sa parehong kasama tayo sa kahihiyan ni mendoza sa kanyang karuwagan.

no excuses.

- 25 August 2010 at 6:26 am

aninipot said:

tama si duking..mahirap ngang tangggapin, pero kelangan nating maintindihan na kasama sa consequence na ginawa ni mendoza ang natatanggap nating kritisismo, yon nga lang di natin to dapat gawing hadlang para malugmok pa lalo ang bayan natin.

di kasi natin pwedeng ipilit na daanin nalang sa dasal o maintindihan tayo ng ibang lahi, magkaiba ang kultura at konsepto ng pagpapahayag ng bawat mamamayan. kita mo nga kahit gaano pa ka positive ang pananaw natin ang iba ay pinagtatawanan kung paano dalhin ng mga pinoy ang nangyari.

di pwedeng ilagan ang ibinato sa isa, di pwdeng ipasa ang mali ng isa dahil bilang tao, kasama eto sa kabuoan ng pagiging pilipino.. di ko rin nman sinasabing manahimik nalang tayo at hayaang yurakan ng iba ang bansa natin,pero habang nasa kainitan pa ng sitwasyon, pahupain muna ang apoy bago gumawa ng mabuting aksyon.

- 25 August 2010 at 8:15 am

Sean said:

dasal lang tol’.. babawe din ang pinas…
kakalungot talaga yung mga pangyayari nung isang araw.. my prayers to all pinoy, for the victims and the hostage takers as well as to their family…

- 25 August 2010 at 11:29 am

Joyo said:

things will not get worst kung nabigyan agad ng first aide ang mga problema… pero andon na tayo ang sakit ay mejo lumala… pagdasal na lang natin na makarecover agad ang pinas…

- 25 August 2010 at 11:49 am

J. Kulisap said:

Nagkataong atin na naman ang panahon. Kung bakit kapag nakilala mo ang isang tao, ganun na rin ang pagtingin mo sa iba pa maging pati kung anong lahi ka.
Walang salita ang makapapawi sa hapding idinulot ng pagkamatay ng mga Tsino at Pilipino.
Laging nag-iiwan ng marka, lungkot, galit at pag-ibig.

Sana, maging maunawain pa sila kaysa sa maging sarado ang isip dahil sa ibang panahon sila naman ang titingnan kahalintulad nito.

- 25 August 2010 at 11:50 am

SKB said:

This horrid event was also given a lot of thought by another caring soul. Andrew Philip from Canada. A huge lover of the Philippines and their Country. Please watch what he had to say.

- 25 August 2010 at 11:23 pm

bongkito said:

there are a lot of things already said and i just don’t want to add more to it. what’s done is done and i don’t think either opinions should be scrutinized and damned. what’s more important is that the new government should start learning how to correct its police systems as well as bringing back its luster to every Filipino, much so to the whole world.

we can’t bring back the lives of those affected in the tragedy. but with a better system in negotiating, if not eliminating the bad guys, then maybe more lives on the line will be saved when another incident like this happens.

stop the hate and blame. put the past behind, and just find ways to make things right and good for all.

- 27 August 2010 at 10:23 am

duking said:

kumalat yung patas na tweet ni jackie chan sa internet.humanga ako ng husto dun sa mama.huwag sana nating paulit-ulit biguin yung gaya nya na hindi nawawalan ng tiwala sa mga pangyayari.

- 27 August 2010 at 2:03 pm

jongskie said:

akala ko connected pa din ako sa facebook ko cool site. anyway, Proud pa din ako na Filipino ako, at wala silang karapatan na husgahan tayong lahat dahil lamang sa isang pagkakamali ng iisang tao. sana bukas ang isipan nila at hindi ganun kakitid.

- 3 September 2010 at 9:29 am

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