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After the killing of 20-year-old nursing student Ruby Jade Ruba by motorbike-riding robbers, we get a lot of suggestions about how to protect ourselves from the bad elements of society. The most controversial is the revived request of Cebu City barangay officials to allow barangay tanods to carry guns.
I guess this is a sincere request to help curb crime in the city. Barangay officials say it is cheaper to train tanods as law enforcement aides than to hire new policemen. They lament that the tanods’ nightsticks are useless against armed criminals. But let us be careful in dealing with the peace and order of our city. Is it really necessary to let tanods carry firearms?
There is no question that many people are hooked on illegal drugs and many crimes are committed by users high on drugs. Will arming tanods stop these drug users? I think the best thing to do first is to curb the trade of illegal drugs.
Secondly, to prevent crime, visibility of our police and barangay tanods should be improved. This has always been proven the best preventive measure against crime.
Thirdly, our city should be proactive in fixing busted streetlights and installing streetlamps in dark alleys in the city.
Arming tanods may not be a surefire solution. We may be arming people who are not psychologically fit or competent to carry firearms.
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Once again we hear the passionate suggestions of barangay chairmen to amend or repeal some provisions of the Juvenile Justice Law. The common argument is that children are being used by criminal syndicates knowing that children are not criminally liable under the new law. Barangay officials say the law prevents them from protecting their constituents from lawbreaking minors whom the law shields from incarceration.
Children used by crime syndicates are not perpetrators but are themselves victims. The solution these barangay chiefs offer only scratches the surface; they would rather arrest the children than the adults who use the kids. Why not go hard against the syndicates who abuse children? They can arrest all the children used by the syndicates but for as long as the syndicates continue to exist, new child recruits will soon be fielded.
I think it is not accurate to say that law enforcement agencies cannot arrest children who committed crimes. On the contrary, minors can be arrested. However, they should not be put behind bars but instead placed under “diversion programs” or in a rehabilitation center for children.
Should barangay officials be alarmed when children commit crimes? Children on their own would not commit crimes. It is even said that children in conflict with the law are a creation of the society. What have we done to attend to the needs of children or help them before they commit crimes? What about the responsibility of their parents? Have our barangay officials made a study on why children commit crimes?
The law provides for an environment that would cushion the suffering of children who commit crimes from the harsh realities of the world. Again, these children are mere victims. Why don’t local governments establish rehabilitation centers for children, as mandated by the law, and offer professional intervention like psychotherapy, to make children whole again? It may be difficult but let us work together to help children in conflict with the law.
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In the February 29 interfaith prayer rally in Makati, many participants were dismayed when two former presidents made political speeches. It was agreed beforehand that no politician would be allowed to speak. It was an occasion to pray against government corruption and to pray for the truth about the ZTE-NBN deal to come out. But as it turned out, it became a political rally, with Cory Aquino and Erap Estrada attacking the president and seeking her resignation, acts that organizers say were contrary to the essence of a prayer rally.
What turned off some participants the most was the appearance of former president Estrada, who, not by any stretch of the imagination, could hardly lead a Hail Mary against corruption in government, having been convicted for the crime of plunder. The presence of the two former presidents – Cory was partly responsible for ousting Erap due to corruption and immorality – sent a confusing message to the people.
As few days ago Erap declared that he was available and willing to become president if President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is removed from office. This declaration prevented people from clamoring for People Power against Arroyo.
Even in the case of ZTE-NBN witness Jun Lozada, Fr. Mel Diola of Dilaab frowns on the fact that we are glorifying the person instead of concentrating on the issues. Some concerned citizens are cautioning society, especially the religious sector, from glorifying Jun Lozada because he is far from being a true hero. By all means, let us support Lozada’s efforts at revealing what he knows about the controversial deal, but making him a hero is too much.
