Tidbits of Life

True tragedies often come with jaw-dropping surprises. Today's hostage-taking situation in Manila tells of the fleeting condition of life, and how violence can escalate into murder and death of the innocents. And it will be a difficult mental work to understand how a bemedaled police officer lost his job, and ended up taking hostages in a bus, and died in the process. Hostage-Taking in Manila 10:00 PM. The Hong Thai Travel bus (owned by Hong Thai Travel Services Ltd.) was about to leave Fort Santiago in Intramuros, Manila, where the tourists just visited when former Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza asked the driver that Mendoza be allowed to hitch a ride. He wore a full police uniform, carrying an M-16 rifle. The driver let Mendoza in, believing that the policeman was on duty. In 2008, Mendoza was moved to the National Capital Region Office (NCRPPO) after a robbery-extortion case in Vito Cruz, Ermita, Manila was filed against him. That same year, he was accused with four othe

Accidents by definition happen rarely. But when a series of road mishaps killing tens of people takes place, we cannot help but wonder, what's going on? Can this be still under the laws of statistical probability? Can this be only a result of human negligence? Or, some dark powers are behind these tragic vehicular accidents that continue to happen around the country. Quezon Pagbilao, 29 August 2010 (Sunday) ---At around 2:30 PM, a CUL Bus Transport vehicle fell of a 12-foot cliff, then into a creek, after its break malfunctioned while negotiating the zigzag Bicol Diversion Road in Maharlika Highway in Sitio Amao, Barangay Silangan Malicboy, on its way from Tacloban (Leyte) to Manila. Five people (four females and a male) were confirmed dead and 39 others injured. [ Sources: "5 killed, 47 injured in bus mishap,"    Sunnex ; Danny Estancio & Aaron Recuenco: "Bus falls into into creek, killing 5, injuring 39,"  Manila Bulletin ] Benguet Sablan, 18 August