EDITORIAL - Buckle up

 A growing number of people, without a doubt all well-meaning, have been issuing calls for the Filipino nation to move on from the national disaster that was the August 23 hostage-taking debacle, in which eight Chinese tourists in Manila were killed by a crazed former police officer.

For the record, this newspaper was the very first to issue a call for the Filipino nation to move on. As early as Saturday, August 28, or just five days after the incident, the editorial in this paper already made precisely that call, in an article entitled “Time to move on.”

Unfortunately, it seems that the power to move on is not in the hands of the Filipino people. It is in the hands of those who lead them, and the fates that seem to guide their actions and decisions.

Just take a look at the series of events that transpired after the incident, and these events will give you the idea that either the fates still have other plans for this nation, or the national leadership, wittingly or unwittingly, appears unable to finish the job just yet.

Take the case of that mix-up in coffins bearing the remains of at least three of the hostage victims. The Filipino nation did not ask for that to happen. But when it happened, a new bungling on top of the other, pray tell how the nation can truly move on?

Then, after the bungled rescue attempt became a global video hit on “how not to rescue hostages,” all law enforcement agencies were suddenly seized with the passion to show off in mock exercises their skills and equipment, long after they were needed. How can we move on with that?

There is also this continuing live coverage of the formal investigation into the hostage crisis which, by bringing the proceedings straight to our living rooms and offices, or wherever there are tv sets, we are constantly reminded of that sordid incident. How can we move on?

And finally, there was President Noynoy Aquino, taking the blame for what happened, a full 11 days after the incident. The lapse of nearly two weeks would have been time enough for us to move on. But by belatedly owning responsibility, Noynoy invited back the memories.

Thus, as much as the Filipino nation may want to move on, it appears that a conspiracy of sorts, whether intended or not, appears to be dictating the direction to which this whole affair will ultimately bring us. Maybe we should all just buckle up and go wherever the ride takes us.