Nalzaro: Why hostile to the police?

SO, the 10 days ultimatum given by the “former political has-been” to Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) to solve the strafing incidents in the residences of two Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) allied mountain barangay captains had already lapsed. And what’s the development? Nothing. The perpetrators have not been identified and nobody is charged in connection with the incidents.

Last April 5, the residences of Sudlon 2 Barangay Captain Prescillio Albores and Sinsin Barangay Captain Aurellio Lascuna were strafed, separately by unidentified armed men. No one was hurt. The “former political has-been” claimed that the incidents were politically motivated. If we say politically motivated, we can easily jump to the conclusion that it was the handiwork of his political rival, Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, who strongly denied the allegations. Do you think that Labella has the capability to do such violent move as his political strategy? I don’t think so. I’ve known him for so long. He is a God-fearing man.

In his ultimatum, the “former political has-been” said that if the police could not solve it within 10 days, he would pinpoint them as behind it. And since it has not been solved, can we therefore conclude that the police were really behind it? I think this allegation is very unfair to the police. The “former political has-been” just jumped to conclusions without presenting any proof or evidence. He already pre-judged the police before he demanded a partial investigation.

Why is he too “hot” with the police nowadays? He even questioned the putting up of a police checkpoint near his residence in Guadalupe. He accused the police of terrorism by allowing themselves to act as goons by his rival. This is again a very sweeping accusation. Is he becoming paranoid because he cannot control CCPO Chief Royina Garma and PRO 7 Chief Debold Sinas?

Because of the incidents in the mountain barangays, he asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to place the city under its control. But Comelec officials said the incidents were not enough basis to place the entire city under its control. It does not warrant a change of status. One of the criteria to place an area under Comelec control is the presence of armed men. The incidents in the mountain barangays have not yet been confirmed if those were election-related matters. Who knows that personal and business conflicts against the concerned barangay captains were the source of the incidents.

We don’t even know if those were stage-managed strafing incidents with the intention to paint a bad image to the opposition or to divert other issues like mismanagement and anomalies committed by the present administration. Daghan kaayong mga issues karon nga mitumaw batok sa nagdumala diha sa City Hall nga angayan tubagon. He is complaining and blaming the police because the situation is not favorable to his side. But who used the police in the previous elections when the chief of police or even the regional director were under his control and influence? He used his trusted men in the police force to harass his political nemesis in the mountain barangays. You can ask the people there.

Now, he is making a big issue on the move of the police to visit the residences of his allies or mount checkpoints near their residences. He even accused the police of illegally taking pictures of the personal properties of his supporters. If he has nothing to hide and is not afraid of anything, he should welcome these developments and not antagonize or be hostile to the law enforcers. Morag nahadlok ug nataranta na man ni siya karon?