Roperos: Law enforcement

FIRST, there was the puzzling report a few weeks ago that the ambush killing of a noted Cebu lawyer in a southern town was probably planned and perpetrated by men skilled with guns, and trained to kill. The conclusion was arrived at by the initial probers, based on the way the popular lawyer was ambushed and killed. Among the investigators were reportedly from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the local police.

The suspects turned out to be members of another group of law enforcers from the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) whose vehicle used in the ambush was identified by witnesses. Thus, based on the testimony of the witnesses, which the NBI pursued, the three suspects from the HPG, the alleged perpetrators of the assassination of the lawyer who was coming home to Cebu from a hearing, were ordered arrested.

However, it is obvious that the matter of influence, political or otherwise, is at play in the “power” game. The NBI 7 chief said that a copy of the arrest order was served to the heads of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Camp Crame’s Personnel Holding Adminstrative Section last Friday, who, by the rules, “must produce these people when needed by the court.” The warrant was issued by the Regional Trial Court of Argao, Cebu.

The news report said that the “three respondents are facing cases of multiple murder and frustrated murder, which are non-bailable offenses.”

The warrant, dated a few days ago, is commanding “any officer of the law” to arrest the respondents. They were relieved from their posts in Central Visayas last April 16.

But the sad thing about this case is that the respondents appear to fear their appearance in court in Argao.

Consequently, they have petitioned the court to have their trial later on to be held in Manila, to which the complainants, of course, demurred. In the first place, the victims’ kin, along with the witnesses, would be spending more in going to Manila and finding a place to stay in. Considering that they are presumably the poor victims of injustice, why make them spend and suffer more inconvenience in their pursuit of justice?

But the case we have cited above is only one of the many cases that involve tales of abuse allegedly being perpetrated by law enforcers in recent months in Cebu. There is that case, for instance, of a police officer who was arrested by the NBI 7 for reportedly “duping his fellow officer to invest in a non-existent financing firm for casino customers.” Because of this obvious misconduct, he will be facing trial.

But the rather stupid thing the police officer did, is that not just content with duping his colleague, he allegedly stole assorted apparel and jewelry worth more than P500,000 from another police official. He was, of course, charged with estafa. It was a rather shameful act by a supposed law enforcer who should be first in upholding the law and protecting the interest of peace-loving citizens.

At any rate, we just have to face the fact that we cannot trust even the people who are supposed to stand by our laws.

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