Hang 'em high

Last Thursday, I wrote, in this column, about a warning issued by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau that was broadcast the day before. The government agency was quoted as raising the alarm that certain areas in the city were either threatened by landslides or prone to floods. I centered on the report saying that Kasambagan, the barangay where I have been living these past four decades, was on top of the list.

I was shocked to learn that the MGB warned our barangay leaders about the threat years ago but, barangay Capt. Jun Lim did not do anything about it. Our lives and properties have been in danger these past few years yet, the captain refused to try to remedy the situation. He did not even tell us we were in the way of potential rampaging torrents of water. I had to ask myself few questions like: Why was no action taken by Capt Lim? Did he realize what the problem was? I was so affected by the monumental failure of the barangay chief to even notify us, the residents, of the impending threat that I could only consider him incompetent, if not grossly negligent. I felt our village was so wronged that in my Thursday column I asked the MGB to commence action to prosecute him.

The Ombudsman should start investigating Capt. Lim for gross neglect. It will find enough basis to convict him by looking at the physical evidence of the captain's neglect. Oral testimony will not be necessary. I am told that Capt Lim, largely by his inaction,has allowed usurpers to seize large parts of the banks of Mahiga creek resulting in the constriction of the water way. If lives would be lost (or property damaged) from floods, Capt. Lim would have to be held liable. Why, he has not even attempted to dredge Mahiga creek of the silt the last three years of his stewardship.

By the quirk of cruel fate, in the afternoon of that day, Thursday, what I wrote only as a threat materialized as a dangerous reality. Flood waters inundated many parts of our barangay. In a sitio we call Santa Lucia, waters swelled to unimaginable proportions. Large parts of the sitio went under water. Anguished cries for help from residents threatened by the alarmingly sudden appearance of water in their homes could be heard. The picture that was published on page 4 of yesterday's issue showing the destruction,mud and other debris in Santa Lucia after the floods receded would give you evidence of Capt. Lim's miserable non-performance.

In Sitio Panagdait, the situation was equally horrifying. Rampaging waters swept into areas of the sitio that had never before been flooded. Was the specter of the Ondoy disaster repeating in Panagdait was the question that was written on the lips of residents in the neighborhood. By God's graces, no one became a casualty.

Capt. Lim is hardly a paramedic. Neither is he a member of any rescue team, to my knowledge. But that will not explain why he was not seen at either Santa Lucia or Panagdait when these areas were experiencing the disaster. His presence could have boosted the confidence of those who were trying to protect their lives and properties. Yet, he stayed away and chose to keep himself dry while his constituents waded in dangerous and unhealthy waters. Indeed, the fact that he was absent from his barangay as it battled the disaster only served to aggravate his neglect.

The other barangay officials, imitated the disappearing act of the captain. They too were not there at Santa Lucia and Panagdait when their constituents needed them. No barangay kagawad showed his face when the flood was threateningly swirling. They too opted to savor the ambience of their offices rather than risk getting wet.

The good thing that we learn from the incident is that we, residents of Kasambagan, have become suddenly aware that we are living in a flood prone area. We now know the horrible secret that Capt. Lim kept from us, all these years. We also know that we cannot expect any action from an incompetent leader so we have to take our individual steps to avert a disaster. If our efforts fall short, we know who to hang.