Saturday, November 11, 2006 Nalzaro: Rama and some councilors: grandstanding? By Bobby Nalzaro Saksi
One can only laugh at the sight of some members of the Cebu City Council castigating the police for their failure to solve the rash of vigilante-style killings in the city. Vice Mayor Michael Rama and councilors who are vocal (kuno) against vigilantism are just deluding themselves. What do they think of the Cebuanos? Foolish?
Rama and some councilors can be described as nagpagoryo-goryo (meaning, they know something but are pretending not to know anything). As the Tagalogs would say, “matagal nang kumita ang script na yan.”
What are Rama and some councilors trying to project in public? That they don't know who “inspired” the summary executions? Come on, Vice Mayor Rama. It is as if you were born only yesterday. Or tell that to the dead marines in Mindanao and not to the people of Cebu.
But first I will clarify my use of the term “some councilors.” I know that Rama’s stand is not the general sentiment of the City Council. Other councilors are for vigilantism as a way of eliminating criminals. I can even name them. Only those with personal agenda or are pretending to be human rights protectors are opposing it. Still, I respect their stand.
But why make the move only now when the death toll has reached 179? Had Rama and some councilors strongly opposed vigilantism earlier, I think the killings would not have continued. Another phrase comes to mind here: Johnny-come-lately.
And why use the police as scapegoat? In fairness to the police, they did investigate the killings. But one of their handicaps is the failure of witnesses and even the relatives of the victims to cooperate.
What does Rama and some councilors want to do with the police?
Our homicide investigators only have 17 people on 24-hour rotation. They don't even have a well-conditioned vehicle. Their working environment is bad because they are occupying a small room at the back of the police main building.
Meanwhile, the Scene of the Crime Operation or Soco, which has been tasked to gather physical evidence and technical support, is also not well equipped.
Rama is a lawyer and he knows that a murder case will not prosper without the testimonies of vital witnesses. But if he really wants to stop the killings, all he has to do is whisper it to that City Hall personality who is fond of playing God. The vice mayor knows who the person I am referring to is.
