|
Saturday, August 06, 2005
Editorials: Smokescreen and a lie
That top officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) expressed concern over the spate of vigilante-style killings that have felled almost 80 people in Cebu is good.
What is not good is that they also mouthed what the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) has long been claiming to cover up their failure to get the killers.
Meaning, PNP Chief Arturo Lomibao and Police Regional Office 7 Chief Eduardo Gador merely repeated the same mantra: lack of public cooperation.
Since the claim has become repetitive, let us consider the facts surrounding it.
Did the public really refuse to cooperate with the police in helping pinpoint and arrest the suspects in the said vigilante killings? If so, what is the reason for it?
Police officers investigating the killing are dishonest if they insist they haven't received any information on the suspects in each of the killings that started in December.
Even reporters were able to get descriptions of the killers from witnesses and relatives of the victims in every killing—information that though lacking can still be used by any capable and honest intelligence operative as leads in cracking a case.
But because police investigators are really not keen on solving the killings, they downplay the value of the information and pretend they are not getting anything.
This is especially true when the testimonies of witnesses point to some policemen as the possible culprits—these are immediately dismissed and the suspects, instead of their background and activities being checked, let go and worse, defended and praised.
This attitude, repeated after every killing, eventually developed a sense of futility, leading witnesses and even relatives of victims to hold back information.
In sum, the police claim of lack of public cooperation in solving the spate of vigilante-style killings is a lie and a smokescreen to hide a deplorable intention.
Steep rise in bus fare
No matter what argument members of the bus operators group in the province will give on their decision to implement a steep rise in fare, that will never take away the perception of passengers that the excessiveness stems from greed.
A two-fold, even three-fold, increase in fare may be legal, but it does not make sense to commuters considering that no bus operator has declared bankruptcy because he or she implemented the old rate.
What is more objectionable to commuters is that the bus operators group is seeking government help in forcing non-members to implement the fare hike even if the latter are willing to ease passengers' suffering by collecting lower fare.
(August 6, 2005 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
