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Thursday, November 10, 2005
Editorials: Vigilantism: high price, low return
One should no longer be surprised that Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña is insisting on his stance not to give priority to the investigation of the vigilante-style killings that have felled 102 people as of the last count.
Because he has admitted to having inspired the killings that started in December last year, the danger of a probe is that he may end up at the receiving end of it. Here, the saying that you do not make a hammer and use it to hit your head applies.
It should be easy, therefore, to find holes in his “I will not make vigilantes a priority” arguments in the sense that it is not being propped up by logic but by the necessity of deflecting attention away from his role—even if indirect—in the killings.
The claim, for example, that vigilantism has reduced robbery cases in Cebu City by 30 percent hides the fact that the number of unsolved killings, a very important statistic in assessing the peace and order situation of an area, rose sharply.
Besides, 30 percent reduction in robbery incidents is a low return for a high price paid in terms of lives lost and the erosion of people’s faith in the criminal justice system.
Osmeña is also spreading the false notion that the vigilante-style killings are forcing criminals “to move out of the city,” an argument that is not supported by facts and is disputed by the unabated killings and the incidents of crime that are still occurring.
Besides, even if criminals live outside the city does not mean Cebu City is already safe, as shown by the major robbery cases perpetrated here by Mindanao-based operators.
What this means is that the argument that the mayor is valiantly clinging to, that vigilantism has been effective in stamping out criminality in the city, just does not wash.
Gayotin’s lament
One of the laughable reactions to the continued inability of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) to pinpoint even one perpetrator in the 102 vigilante-style deaths is that made by the acting city police chief himself, Melvin Gayotin.
“We have no witnesses, no complainants. So where do we start?” he said.
Of course there are witnesses and complainants, only that CCPO elements are not doing enough to encourage them to come out. Of course, there are many areas that can be used as starting point of an investigation, only that CPPO elements are not interested in it.
To Gayotin, if you don’t have anything substantial to say, better not say anything.
(November 10, 2005 issue)
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