Not just a pat on the back
Only a few issues back, this corner cut down with regrets the inability of the law enforcers to contend the almost daily commission of crimes. One beef against the PNP for that matter has been the perennial absence of police visibility in the streets, at least as psychological deterrent against the criminal-minded denizens of society; inversely, also as psychological assurance for peaceable pedestrians and commuters to feel safe or secure in their persons and personal effects at all times everywhere.
Another miff against the police has been the tendency to virtually shrug off the worsening crime stats as still normal and manageable, as if doing so placates the fear of society, or that belittling the gravity of a crime wave offers a solution. Moreover, as often than not, it’s disgusting to throw back the blame on the community for failure to cooperate with the crime-busters in solving a given crime or felony with the ready excuse: “We can’t solve it alone”.
Indeed, nowadays seldom does a day pass without reports of offenses of violence, of jeepney and taxicab heists of passengers or commuters, and also of taxi drivers, snatchings here and there, shootings or stabbings, frat and gang wars often resulting in death or injury to a bystander. And, it appears that the most lethal local felonies involved, yes, you guessed it right, the inseparable cellphone of almost every student or commuter, and more alarming than the P1 M daylight robbery of pawned jewelry recently without any life wasted in the process.
Of course, the most recent cellphone tragedy and the most heart-rending for the victim and her family, and the most heartless and hellish that renders the public beyond plain anger and being outrageously dehumanized, was that of innocent Ruby Jane Ruba. Perhaps, not so many times before have the Cebuanos been so violated in their sensibilities – not just empathy and pity – for such an inhumane and dastardly act of fatally shooting a fleeing and shrieking victim in utter fear of her life.
The shooting was senseless since the conscienceless beasts had already taken Ruby’s cellphone. It was plain callousness, nay, godlessness, albeit in feigned compunction after his arrest, triggerman Aivan Barabat had the gall to justify his action because Ruby “ran and shouted for help”. Moreover, Barabat “blamed” conspirator Mark Anthony Labitad who allegedly ordered him to shoot the fleeing Ruby.
Whatever their puny defense, the three offenders, Carl Marx Carticiano, Labitad, and Barabat do not even deserve a lynching ala the old, old West in American history. What they deserve is a slow, slow and painfully measured death. This is the spontaneous consensus among the violated observers and, one does not blame them for such perception.
Meantime, it’s only fair and just that the Cebu City PNP be congratulated for the prompt solution to the crime. After all then, should the law enforcers do their job as expected of them, without necessarily being pressured by condemnation from the community as “nag-mika” or “nagpa-baya”, the “Cebu’s Finest” in their past heyday, may still be not beyond hope to redeem themselves.
It’s a record of sort that the
Again, while criticism now and then has been heaped on the law enforcers who may have appeared inutile at times, and many times, this time they deserve the loudest tribute, much more than a pat on their backs. They richly deserve commendations and rank promotion. May the painfully pointless and untimely death of nursing senior Ruby and the irreparable loss of her bereaved family always be a grim reminder for all to take heed in precaution.
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