|
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Editorials: Attempt on Lao’s life
That somebody might be out to kill Simon Lao, a potential witness in the Mandaue City shabu lab case, is possible; so too are attempts to spring suspected shabu lab financier Calvin Tan from jail.
Indeed, one can think of many things that may happen or may be done to scuttle efforts to successfully prosecute the suspects in the shabu lab case.
It does not necessarily follow, however, that because some shots were fired at a portion of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) the incident can immediately be attributed to an attempt on the life of Lao.
Threat
While one can find people who consider as believable the theory that someone fired shots from afar at the cell where Lao is detained, one can also find many others who find difficulty in believing it.
The argument is that if somebody really wants to kill Lao, surely he will find ways other than doing what was claimed to have happened, considering the very high probability of failure and the expected backlash from the effort.
And if the firing was merely an attempt to threaten Lao into backing off from his plan of turning state witness, that would be negated by the fact that by turning around, Lao already knows his life will already be threatened.
Mad dog
This point was boosted by the claim of a verification team from the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) that the shots fired that night actually came from a jail guard from a nearby jail facility who was chasing a mad dog.
That means there are now two theories about the firing incident, one raised by CPDRC officials and the other by a team from CPPO.
Which should justify calls for a more thorough investigation to ensure that any conclusion made would be objective and worthy to be used as guide in the implementation of additional security measures inside CPDRC.
Caution
Of course, it is better to err on the side of caution, so that whether the firing incident was really an attempt on Lao’s life or not, it would be good to come up with extra effort to protect the man.
Still, the admonition to be always objective and not be jumpy every time incidents like what happened at CPDRC recently should not be set aside.
It would be wrong to spend sleepless nights on something that may not really have happened at all.
(December 27, 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
|
