Peace and order in Cebu City

Singapore is hard on crime and criminals. That’s how important peace and order is.

Since the day --or towards the day-- President Rody Duterte left office, there is a perception that criminals have been very much around again. We cannot deny the fact it was peace and order that the former president intensely addressed.

In Cebu City, reports on the recurrence of snatching and robbery are back. We can recall that on August this year, a 16-year-old boy was killed in Barangay Bulacao. Last month, students were involved in the stabbing of another student of the Mabolo National High School.

Lately, rumbles involving young individuals have occurred. Perhaps because we had been forced to stay at home during the height of pandemic, many, particularly the partygoers, found some sense of freedom. But some young ones have brought it to the extreme. But still, yearnings for parties should be no justification for the disturbance of the peace, and our police and the local government must do something to address the problem.

However, we cannot lay the blame squarely on government, particularly the city government. We must also call the attention of parents and suggest to them that they monitor their children’s activities. The saying “Tell me who your friends are, and I will tell you who you are” will always have truth in it.

Young people are usually high on energy, and what is worrisome is when they are also high on drugs and drunk.

People want peace and order. This is one way for them to feel that government exists. Workers just want to be safe on their way home from the workplace. Tired and exhausted from work, they just want to go home with the thought that they will not be robbed along the way.

What all parents want is that their children are free from harm when they are away from them. Parents worry to no end, especially if they know that criminals roam around the city.

Peace and order is also the concern of the business sector. Investors cannot thrive in an environment of fear.

Some people say that crimes are just natural occurrences in cities. That’s a lot of crap. I agree that crimes occur from time to time, even in holiest of places. But it is foolish to say we should not worry about crimes because we are in a city.

In a recent guesting of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama in my radio program over dyHP RMN Cebu, he assured me during my interview with him that the new director of Cebu City Police Office, Police Colonel Ireneo Dalogdog, could deliver. He boasted of how Dalogdog was carefully chosen. It is my wish that he really could deliver. Let us give him the benefit of the doubt.

If we really want Cebu City to be Singapore-like, let just bear in mind that in Singapore criminals are not as free as the wind. The government seriously runs after them.