Originally posted from: Bohol RepublicToday, we received a text from Mitzi I. (COS of the VM)
“Friends, I’ll be wearing black for the entire week to mourn the death of the security guard of yesterday’s robbery. And on the session of the city’s SP, I’ll wear a black band to protest the rise in crimes in this city. Join me if you want to. I refuse to walk our streets in fear nor live in fear.”
Talk of the alarming crime rate increase in Tagbilaran (and in Bohol) in the past few weeks has been heavily hovering over this usually uneventful city, and when yet again we hear of a bank heist (along CPG Avenue, at that and in broad daylight ,too) yesterday, with a bank security guard dead, something’s gotta give. And it matters little, even, that most of the suspects were nabbed a few hours thereafter the robbery incident.
To think that only last Friday, some of the top brass in the AFP and PNP were here for the Central Visayas Peace and Security Assembly. To think that Bohol’s been put into disgrace in the Central Visayas peace and order reports of the Regional PNP, having the most consistent increase in crime rate (for the period July2006-July2007) in the region. To think that the Bohol officials there kept saying that they were fierce and determined (as they ought to be) in combating crime. And three days later, *poof* a robbery.
These criminals should be quelled, yes. We could express utmost indignation on their crimes against the people of Bohol and the Philippines. (In Jack Arat’s name and the other nameless victims of violence) But we can’t plead with these people, they’re criminals. (Let’s not even talk about the socio-economic foundations that led these men to commit crimes.)
But it’s but right that we demand from our government, especially the police force, a safe and peaceful city and province. And let’s demand this in the open. And out loud. Even with the calm of wearing black.
