Hostage crisis or political ploy?

Yesterday, March 27, 2007, a man held 26 people hostage in a bus at the Manila City Hall. The hostage taker, Armando Ducat Jr. took his own students hostage on the way to a field trip to Tagaytay they said. Although he released his hostages after 10 hours. It made me think, is this really a hostage crisis or just a political ploy to get more mileage out of the coming election?

Here are the reasons why I think this way.

First, they got Senator Bong Revilla, Jr. to be the hostage negotiator. What the hell? What does he know about being a hostage negotiator? Don't you need to be trained in psychology and police work to be an effective negotiator?

Second, Bong Revilla claims to have close ties with Ducat. What!?! You're friends with a hostage taker/terrorist?

Third, Chavit Singson also went to the scene and was shown on television boarding the bus. I mean, who in their right mind would go inside a bus with a guy threatening to blow up the bus with his grenade? Well, I know Chavit is not in his right mind, but nobody who know that it really is a dangerous situation would purposely go inside to talk to a hostage taker and risk their lives. Chavit's PR people would spin it as him being heroic and brave. But in all reality, it's stupid and most likely he knows that this is all an act that is why he's not afraid to board the bus.

Fourth, they gave in to the Ducat's demands on giving the children education and housing. Well, isn't that what they're supposed to do in the first place? Why is there a need to take hostage and demand something like that? And Ducat owns a daycare. Couldn't he provide the education?

Bong Revilla even said that he will pay for the children's education. What? For one year? Until they graduate? Or until he wins the election? He's a hero again, taking plight of the problems of the poor and giving them education.

Bayani Fernando promised to give them homes and fix their place to make it conducive to live in. What about the other millions of Filipinos who have no homes?

Are they supposed to wait until another person takes someone hostage to get things done?

Lastly, as Ducat was captured, he said "President Arroyo is fighting corruption, we should unite with her". What the heck?! The Philippines was considered the most corrupt country under Arroyo's watch. Is this another way to say that the Philippines is not corrupt and GMA is doing something about it?

What's fishy about this is that Ducat is running for councilor in Tondo. And he took someone hostage 20 years ago but was let go.

Compare this hostage drama to another on March 14 where police stormed a courthouse in Taguig and killed the hostage taker. What's the difference? Why the special treatment to this guy? If Chavit can board the bus, why can't an undercover policeman go in and get the guy?

I don't know, it just all smells fishy.