EDITORIAL - Congressional circus

The Kabataan Partylist is planning to push for a congressional inquiry into the death of a four-year-old boy who was killed by a stray bullet during an anti-drug operation by policemen in Barangay Ermita in Cebu City two months ago.

CJ Matarlo, coordinator of Kabataan Partylist Cebu, told The FREEMAN they are now drafting a resolution asking the House of Representatives to look into Bladen Skyler Abatayo’s death. “We want to elevate the case to Congress to investigate Skyler’s death,” Matarlo said.

For the record, there are now investigations being conducted into what really happened on the day members of the Carbon Police Station responded to a report about a group men using drugs that led to the killing of Abatayo.

The police, in their investigation, said the stray bullet that killed Abatayo may not have come from the guns of the four policemen who conducted the operation, as they tested negative during a paraffin test. The four cops were, however, relieved from their posts.

The National Bureau of Investigation, whom Abatayo’s parents requested to conduct a separate probe, found enough evidence to file charges against the policemen involved in the incident. In its probe, the NBI said the bullet that killed the boy came from the gun of one of the policemen.

Now here’s another push for another investigation, this time by the House of Representatives. Kabataan Partylist must have already lost trust in the police and the NBI that it wants a congressional inquiry into Abatayo’s deat h.

But is there really a need for Congress to spend time looking into the case? Are those investigations now being done by the police and the NBI not enough for the public to really know the real score in Abatayo’s death?

We all know that once Congress interferes with a particular case and starts catechizing parties involved before the cameras we can expect a fierce competition among lawmakers wanting to be stars of the show. And we don’t want the Abatayo case to be another victim of a congressional circus.