Atienza orders manhunt for Nagtahan vandals

Manila Mayor Lito Atienza ordered the Manila police yesterday to mount a manhunt for still unidentified suspects who vandalized and stole state-of-the-art streetlights put up by City Hall to illuminate the Nagtahan Bridge overlooking the Presidential compound across the Pasig River from Malacañang Palace.

"Hindi natin maintindihan bakit mayroong mga tao na sinisira ang progreso at pagbabago. Tingnan ninyo itong (ginawa ng mga vandals) sa Nagtahan Bridge," Atienza told reporters during an inspection of the damaged streetlights yesterday.

He noted that the Nagtahan span, along with Jones Bridge and Mc Arthur Bridge were lighted up by the city government to provide safe passage to nighttime commuters and deter criminal elements who take advantage of dimly lit areas to pounce on their prey.

He said authorities have yet to identify the vandals although investigators are now working on some leads. "Hindi pa natin masabi kung sino and gumagawa nito — kung ito’y pulitika, ito’y drug addict o sira ulo."

"What I am saying is that dapat binabantayan ito ng pulis. At kung meron namang makakitang mamamayan, bantayan din natin and ating kapaligiran," Atienza said, adding that "it is everybody’s duty, but definitely the police must enforce the law."

After ordering the police to hunt the suspects and effect their arrest as soon as possible, Atienza said the barangay officers in the area should also help see to it that city street lights and other government properties are protected from vandals. "Yung mga barangay dito sa paligid-ligid ay pananagutin naman natin. Magtrabaho rin tayo’ng lahat. Magtulungan tayo. Everybody has a job to do and progress and development is everybody’s responsibility." – Edu Punay