ANGEL OF THE CROSS

Angelo de la Cruz, the Filipino was taken hostage and threatened with decapitation will be returning home to a hero's welcome:

Yellow ribbons have been tied on trees and lamp-posts in his village north of Manila.His children told reporters there will be a thanksgiving church service and a simple meal with his favourite dish - deep fried pork belly. A construction firm has donated a new house and land for Mr de la Cruz, who left to work in Saudi Arabia more than a decade ago. A senator and a private college have also pledged scholarships for his children.

While I'm happy Angelo has been freed without injury, the costs of securing his release were far too high. His family and community are right in celebrating his return – but the pledges of a house and scholarships are unwarranted.
 
Angelo went to a region where he knew the risks, and he did it for his own reasons. Theose reasons may have been respectable,  he was earning money to support his family, but they were not heroic. 
 

Homer: That little Timmy is a real hero
Lisa: What makes him a hero dad?
Homer: Well he fell down the well and....can't get out.
Lisa: How does that make him a hero?
Homer: Well it's more than you ever did!

I read a lot on mountaineering. When a climber tries to scale Everest, he or she does so knowing the risks. He doesn't have to climb it - and in most cases has probably been cautioned not to. When someone dies on a mountain, it's usually the result of hubris rather than heroism. Further, when someone is rescued from a misadventure on a mountain - or worse,  a dumbass attempt to circumnavigate the planet in a balloon - there are costs that have to be paid by others.
 
In most cases those costs are simply hiring rescue helicopters. Here the costs are higher, Gloria Arroyo has demonstrated to terrorists that nations are willing to cave in to their demands. I won't criticize Mr de la Cruz for getting himself into trouble - his reasons for placing himself in a dangerous situation were, as I said, respectable. However, the capitulation that secured his safe return will put numerous others at risk. Blame must be apportioned.
 
Gloria, you are a letdown. I'm sure your hero Margaret 'The Lady' Thatcher is rather disappointed with you.