ON MONDAY, September 30, the news of a woman killed in Calinan, Davao City was one of the unfortunate events that Dabawenyos read online. Further, the news of the “Bunal Gang,” or the motorcycled men hitting random people with wood planks on the dark alleys also made people more afraid to go out at night.
Because of this, more and more people heightened doubts on whether or not Davao City is still a safe city as it used to claim.
When SunStar Davao posted a breaking news post of the murdered woman in Calinan, some of the comments mentioned that the bad guys in Davao City perhaps do not fear Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio. Contrary to the term of her father former mayor and now president Rodrigo Duterte, the netizen who commented pointed out that there was less crime and violence then. The comments also said this could be because people who do wrong things in Davao City are more afraid of the former mayor.
But is it enough to measure the level of violence and safety of a city based on whoever is sitting as the mayor?
Terrorism may be another issue but crimes committed by Dabawenyos against their fellow Dabawenyos is also something we need to be concerned about.
Davao is home to a lot of people. Where else should we go if we do not feel safe in our own house? If a sibling fights with his siblings, the parent goes between them and pacifies them. But in the end, it should always be the individual siblings who should give and take to have a harmonious relationship with their brothers and sisters.
Davao City is known to be a home of Lumad, Christians, and Muslims. These groups of people are united because of love and understanding. The Dutertes are not necessarily to be blamed or to be credited for this love.
In the same way, doing good to our neighbors and family should be innate in our hearts so whoever sits as head of the city, peace and security will continue to prosper.
It is very disappointing and very alarming that the bad and violent people only stopped because Rodrigo Duterte was there. It's always difficult to do something out of fear than out of natural urge to help and to be better individuals of the society.