IT is one thing to admit mistakes, stupid blunders, and reckless imprudence, and another thing to uphold one’s pride, dignity and sovereignty.

With the marvel of television and electronics communications, the whole world witnessed vividly the carnage at the Luneta, and the ineptitude that led to the fiasco at the Quirino Grandstand.

The dastardly act having been carried out, the Aquino government and the Filipino people apologized, regretted, and were saddened by the death of eight innocent tourists from Hongkong which was so unnecessary and senseless.

The grisly act done and the hostage-taker himself was killed with the rest of the slain victims.

It follows that the hostage-taking affair will now be investigated and analyzed by forensic and ballistic experts from both Hong Kong and Philippine authorities.

While it was a bizarre and isolated incident, the Philippine government is duty bound to submit a truthful and thorough investigation.

First, it is important that the Philippines solely accept the responsibility for the lapses without eroding its sovereignty and debasing its dignity.

For example, the family of Police Captain Rolando Mendoza looked up to him as a courageous, loyal public servant, and decent breadwinner. The family believes that he was wronged by society and by the judicial system.

He was a hero in the eyes of his wife and children, and therefore deserving to be draped with the Philippine flag over his coffin.

Right or wrong, no nation has the right to tell us what to do with our dead as we do not have the right to tell others what to do with their own departed.

Second, poor and weak that the Philippines may be in the perception of Hong Kong and Beijing, Filipino self-respect, ego, and pride are just as intense as any nationality on earth.

It goes without saying that this country will not countenance or tolerate or succumb to bully tactics, snobbery, or intimidation.

It is one thing to admit mistakes and mea culpas, but it is another to remain upright with dignity and resolve.

Third, pari-passu with all that display of piety, mourning, religious masses, and flowers, the governance of President Benigno S. Aquino III and the Filipino people have a more serious, urgent, and fundamental mission not only by re-examining and reforming conventional wisdom and how we usually do things into radical path-finding reformation, such as, Constitutional revision, gunless society, population reduction policy, democratization of wealth by neutralizing the “oligarchy,” divorce, sincere devolution of powers and resources to the LGUs, and uncompromising application of laws and regulations.

These are the wish list of the Filipino people that they expect from President Benigno S. Aquino III where so much – perhaps too much – is expected of him.

If there was more law and less politics, there would also be greater national discipline, more respect for authority, and a better disciplined and trained law enforcement authorities.

When all is said and done, another inept and clumsy handling of a mini crisis, such as the Luneta hostage-taking by the Aquino administration will surely trigger the beginning of a downward spiral of President Benigno S. Aquino’s trust and satisfaction ratings that may be difficult to reverse.

You be the judge. (For comments and views, please e-mail: chaff_fromthegrain@yahoo.com.ph)