Wednesday, October 11, 2006 Speak out: No longer pro-vigilante By Rankine Ruel Novabos Mandaue
I used to think vigilantism in Cebu can be tolerated because it scared some criminals.
But I've shifted views.
Vigilantes have become more ruthless than ever. They don't kill criminals they catch on the act but slay ex-convicts, some of whom had just been released from jail.
One example is the case of that man who was shot 30 minutes after walking out of a police station detention cell because the owner of the bag he snatched decided not to file charges against him.
The others killed were former ex-convicts that were not proven to have gone back to the old ways.
Vigilantism is illegal and immoral. Illegal because it goes against the laws that give rights to criminals, including ex-convicts. Immoral because it deprives life without justifiable cause.
Surely, it is the disrespect of life that drives these vigilantes to mercilessly fire their guns.
