GONE are those days when Bankerohan, the biggest flea market in the city became known to sell not only all the prime commodities but also a buying-selling place of human life.
A suspected drug user according to my source is only P15,000 and a gang member for P500. It was not clear however whose group was responsible of selling and whose group was buying to do the dirty jobs to save the face of Bankerohan.
Among the hooligans who were bought and sold were Dino Garcia of Bistado gang on May 2015; Alfer Algoso Agad of Tupas gang on February 2014; and the Alia brothers of Repolyo gang (Richard on July 2001, Christopher on October 2001, and Bobby on November 2006).
All recorded killings were denied by the authorities and were charged to the vigilante boys. Bankerohan became peaceful for a while.
The city government including the city social services office may have done their share, although there was no perceptible anti-gangster ordinance to address the perennial problem in the dot.
I brought this issue back after a young woman was caught between two rowdy gangsters near Bankerohan bridge last week.
Emelita Cabantao, 19, panicked when she saw a bottle thrown to her direction as the two groups were in scuffle. In her attempt to evade from the flying object she lost balance, falling off the bridge that caused her death.
Had the vigilante boys exist today, granting that the tale is true; innocents like Emelita would have been spared. How many more Emelitas will be obliterated with these assholes?
Whoever was the buying group or individual, I have nothing to sell but I appreciate your unorthodox strategy for battling the crime against the operating gangs in Bankerohan. (abrigodann@gmail.com)