Hmm, shouldn't the Filipinos deploy one of the following before they ask their neighbors "for help"?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Action_Force
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Special_Warfare_Group
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Special_Forces_Airborne_Regiment_(Philippines)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/710th_Special_Operations_Wing
Looks like thanks to the "petty office politics" within the bureaucracy, neither one of those teams were willing to risk their lives and rescue hostages coming from the "nation of masters".
BTW, asking Japan for help is impractical and totally insensitive. You do know like Germany, JASDF is forbidden to be deployed overseas. Plus, both the Filipinos and the Chinese hostages still vividly remember the atrocities committed by the Imperial Japanese Army during WWII.
Simply put, asking Japan for help is no different from asking the Germans, or worse the Turks to rescue the Jewish hostages.
WRT asking Singapore's SOF for help, that's pretty absurd since the hostages are not Singaporeans and it makes no sense for the Singaporeans to conduct rescue operation on the hostages from their traditional arch-rival when it comes to economic dominance in the region.
More likely, the Filipinos should request the SDU, nicknamed Flying Tigers to conduct rescue operation to free the hostages from the same hometown. Not gonna to get the green light from both the mainland Chinese and the Filipinos for different reasons.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Duties_Unit
