Nalzaro: Balance of terror

MY BLOOD pressure shoots up every time I hear reports about people being victimized by criminals. The latest victim is a 14-year-old altar boy killed by three armed robbers. Now, I am again tempted to call for the reactivation of vigilantes. We should terrorize these lawless elements before they terrorize us.

I expect negative reaction from church officials, lawyers and human rights groups about this, but I think this is the only way to frighten criminals. That's what we call balance of terror.

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In 2004, cri-mes drastically reduced following the operation of vigilantes, who killed more than a hundred criminals. I was even accused of having links with vigilantes. But I didn't know them. Lawless elements fled from the city for fear of these vigilantes. Jailed cri-minals opted to stay in jail even if they had been ordered released for the same reason.

Criminality in the city is now alarming. Robbers strike anywhere even in broad daylight and don't hesitate to kill their victims if they resist.

Carlo Sacedon Mangitngit’s future would have been bright as relatives and his fellow altar boys at the Alliance of Two Hearts church describe him as a good boy. But he was killed by three men who shot him and took his cell phone worth P500. Gumikan lang sa barutuhon nga cell phone usa ka kinabuhi ang nakalas.

Police arrested yesterday the three suspects: Jufer Tatoy, Marvin Sanchez and Joseph Heredia who, in my radio interview, admitted to having participated in the commission of the crime. But he said he was only driving the getaway motorcycle. He pointed to Tatoy as the one who snatched the cellular phone and shot Mangitngit.

The police claimed that the case has been solved following the arrest of the suspects. But I would remind them not to lower their guards. Investigation and prosecution are two different things. They should come up with concrete evidence to pin down the suspects during trial. While the suspects initially admitted committing the crime, I am afraid that they will retract their confessions once they hire lawyers.

City officials, instead of wasting money for politics, should give the local police force additional technical and logistical support to make it effective and efficient.

By the way, with the election gun ban, law-abiding citizens can no longer bring their licensed guns out of their residence unless given an exemption by the Comelec. This is ironic because criminals continue to carry firearms and prey on their victims. Pagkatoytoy!

(Bobby@sunstar.com.ph/ bgnalzaro@gmanetwork.com)