Criminal elements uncowed by vigilantes

One has lost track of the running score of alleged vigilante salvaging. Perhaps by now, it's creeping to the 140 figure or so.

Such statistics ought to have rendered cold feet to lawless and criminal denizens into keeping straight. But, notwithstanding the unabated vigilante executions, it appears that common crimes, like, robbery, hold-ups, snatchings, burglaries, etc. are on the rise without let-up.

News reports on rising crime incidents are daily menu, as if regular fare or routine, rather than occasional exceptions. And, that is what is disturbing, that not only are the felons unafraid of the police, but likewise unafraid of the summary executions by the vigilantes. "Way kaintap ug way kahadlok sa vigilantes!"

Not long ago, Exquisite Pawnshop and Jewelry, Inc. along A.S. Fortuna St., in Mandaue City, was robbed in broad daylight by three men, stashing choice expensive jewelry assessed at P6 million.

Later, Cebuana Lhuillier in Mabolo was ransacked at dawn and losing P80 thousand and a pawned cellphone. The funny part was it took the entity's Manila office to alert the Mabolo Police Station on the burglary. Funnier still, the responding cops got hoodwinked by the still intact padlocks, not seeing that the entry was made by cutting the fasteners of the roll-down door.

There was also that robbery in broad daylight of the Cinderella Tours and Travel firm along Gorordo Avenue that netted thousands of US dollars, local bills, and personal items, in just 10 minutes. Strangely, its alarm system was pressed only after the robbers had gone.

A bright note Its surveillance camera caught one of the burglars, a certain Hermes Abergas of Tudela, Misamis Occidental. Abergas had been arrested for robbery of a gas pump station in Lapu-Lapu City. Presumably, he was able to post bail that time.

Not far behind was the case of a woman being pushed out of the PUJ she was riding along Balagtas Street in Pahina Central by two robbers, when she refused to part with her bag, resulting in the victim's serious injuries. Fortunately, some CITOM personnel gave chase and arrested one of the suspects, a certain Angelito Torniado of Lawis, Pasil, Cebu City.

And then there was that pathetic sight of a bawling female teacher from Carmen, Cebu caught by the TV camera, after she had been robbed of P20,000 in the vicinity of Cebu North Bus Terminal in Subangdaku, Mandaue City.

Not far behind Two Indian traders both named Singh were waylaid somewhere in V. Rama Street. These Indian merchants whose forebears used to have bazaars in downtown Cebu City, are plying their trade by catering to small-time customers who order whatever items they need, payable in regular installments which these Indians also regularly collect It's a pity that time and again, they are often waylaid and divested of their hard-earned money.

The above-cited crimes may not fall under major crimes but neither are they just petty offenses. To the poor victims at the end of a pointed gun and/or a bladed weapon in the hands of these criminals, the fear for their lives and the trauma they have been put through at the time of commission, are neither petty nor that light to be brushed aside casually.

These evil minions of society have to be contained. While society is divided on the morality of vigilantism, the heavier consensus appears to be very obvious for it, if only as last-ditch deterrent by putting fear into these dirty dregs of society, as costly price for peace.