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Sunday, July 03, 2005
Cebu City mayor's 'population control' criticized
CEBU CITY -- A former senator and human rights lawyer has another term for the vigilante-style killings in Cebu City: "the population control program" of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña.
While the mayor may be proud of how petty crimes have gone down since the killings began in late December, lawyer Rene Saguisag said the killings are "grossly violative of human rights" and have no place in a law-abiding society.
Speaking before the new officers and members of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Cebu and Cebu City chapters Friday night, he rallied new lawyers to be more involved in human rights cases.
He pointed out that while those favoring vigilantism say it is a solution to worsening criminality, it is "nothing more than a person's desire to wield power over life and death."
Saguisag noted how Osmeña admitted to having "inspired" the summary executions that have claimed 65 victims since last Dec. 22.
Saguisag said the statement is similar in substance to the lament of King Henry II against Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, in 1170.
"Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?" the king had said within earshot of four knights who, armed with swords and lances, killed Becket. Four years later, the king had to do penance before the bishop's tomb. Becket was later made a saint.
No suspects have been arrested and no cases have been filed before the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in relation to the vigilante-style killings.
The latest fatality was identified as Robin Roca Flores, 38, of Sitio Potat, Barangay Tinago. He was known as Robin Buaya in Tinago and in the neighboring barangays.
Shot by two unidentified men on board a blue motorcycle last June 15, Flores died of multiple gunshot wounds. Police found 11 empty shells on T. Padilla Ext., Barangay Tejero, where the killing occurred at 10:30 p.m.
The IBP Cebu City chapter is among the strongest critics of the mayor because of the vigilante killings. It coalesced with other non-government organizations to create the Multi-Sectoral Alliance Against Summary Executions early this year.
The IBP Cebu City chapter has issued a resolution that has raised the murders to President Arroyo.
The mayor dismissed the IBP resolution, though, saying the lawyers are objecting to the killing because it robs them of their livelihood.
"I pity them because they lost many of their clients since their customers are dead already. Like I said, I'm not in favor of all of this but I'm not exactly 100 percent sympathetic when they're killed," the mayor had said in one interview.
In the resolution, the IBP had said that despite opposition from some groups, the summary executions remain unsolved, "leading to the belief that police and local officials either encourage or tolerate said illegal acts or remain indifferent or have been remiss in their duties to enforce the law."
"The recent summary executions of suspected robbers, while palatable to some sectors, are clearly barbaric, illegal and unconstitutional and have no place in a supposedly civilized and democratic society," the resolution said. (Karlon N. Rama of Sun.Star Cebu/Sunnex)
Click here for a chronology of the crisis.
Click here for the transcript of Arroyo's confession.
(July 3, 2005 issue)
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Former President criticized for warning v. use of 'people power'