Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Quirino Grandstand Hostage Situation - Why hasn't anyone been fired?

It's been a day since the hostage drama at the Quirino Grandstand yesterday, when the sheer incompetence of the Philippine police was seen worldwide. I'm just wondering why no one has been sacked?

Even a moron can see that there were blunders, MAJOR, MAJOR blunders, at that! People are calling that SWAT team the worst SWAT team ever. They were too macho to ask for help from units who could have done better.

Also, bad decisions were made. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that arresting the hostage taker's brother would cause him to lose it. All they had to do was humor him and his brother until the hostages were freed. Agree to his demand to be reinstated. After the hostages are free, throw the book at him for hostage taking.

Worst of all, what kind of SWAT is this? No thermal imaging, no bullet-proof armor. And why were they using M-16's for close quarter combat? The assault was very clumsy! Some people say it's not the SWAT's fault because they don't have the equipment that other countries have. Maybe other countries' policemen have a monopoly on intelligence. I've seen kids play Counterstrike with better tactical plans. Also, what happened to all the tax money? They're supposed to be used for training and equipment and things like that. Another guy who was interviewed said that we had all the equipment, but that they weren't used!

I think it's very probable that some of the hostages were injured from police fire/sledgehammer attacks. I wonder what will happen when that comes out. We citizens should really use this incident constructively to demand for a cleaner, better, more professional police force.

I wish Horatio Caine was real and we can import him and his Sunglasses of Justice here. Now here's a thought - require all policemen to watch CSI, NCIS, Flashpoint, 24... and do a Check for Understanding quiz afterwards!

2 comments:

  1. http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view/20100901-289853/Tinimbang-ka

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  2. Awesome work.Just wanted to drop a comment and say I am new to your blog and really like what I am reading.Thanks for the share

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