EDITORIAL - Public service is always for the higher interest

Cebu Customs collector Lourdes Mangaoang is threatening to file charges against the Mandaue City police for what she believes was its illegal apprehension of a 40-foot container van later found to contain three right-hand-drive vehicles.

Mangaoang said in apprehending the container van, the Mandaue City police performed a function that was not its duty to perform. According to her, only the Bureau of Customs can make such an apprehension.

Not limiting herself to threatening the Mandaue City police, Mangaoang is reportedly also thinking of suing Regional Trial Court judge Ulric Cañete for issuing the search warrant that authorized the Mandaue City police to open the van and make the discovery.

With all due respect to Mangaoang, we hope she does not pursue either action. Our view is that, with higher interests in mind, she should in fact congratulate both the Mandaue City police and Judge Cañete for their actions.

Right-hand-drive vehicles are illegal. Regardless of how they were apprehended, or who managed to get the credit for their apprehension, the bottomline is that as far as good governance is concerned, the apprehension of anything illegal is for the good of everyone.

Mangaoang, the Mandaue City police and Judge Cañete all work for the government, performing interrelated law enforcement functions. Whatever anyone of them can do for the good of government ultimately benefits everyone and it is something to be happy about.

Granting, for the sake of the argument, that the Mandaue City police overstepped its bounds and Judge Cañete went beyond his authority, still that does not constitute enough reason for Mangaoang to lose sight of that bottomline.

If feathers have been ruffled because of the incident, it is not something that cannot be healed by honest-to-goodness dialogue. On the other hand, pursuing the matter in court will only hurt everyone concerned.

Custom, the police and the judiciary are very critical institutions performing very critical functions for government, precisely why they are often seen with a very critical eye by the public. Quarreling among themselves will not present a very pretty sight.