MICHAEL MEDINA
Editor-in-chief
OROQUIETA CITY--Am I my brother’s keeper? You bet, your knack for watching over your neighbor’s suspicious whereabouts or simply informing authorities that a felon has committed or is about to commit a crime is already an effective crimebusting technique.
This was Vice-Gov. Francisco Paylaga Jr.’s general idea of being a “tsismoso or tsismosa sa mga katingalahan ug makadudang panghitabo sa [ilang] mga barangay.”
Patrol sa Kalamboan (PSK), the Capitol’s nightly developmental broadcast, said in its interview with Paylaga that people whose lifestyles go beyond their means of livelihood is enough to cast suspicions from ordinary residents.
Well, the former mayor of Panaon was referring to persons who are always seen in cockfights and those good-for-nothing drunks who drink to the last drop—“mobangka ug inom ug halos apilon ang merkado ug palit kung mangompra nga wala man untay pangita ug walay kabtangan,” says PSK.
Such wasted way of life, though frequent and common nowadays all over the province, can always throw reservation to anybody so it could be better that these people “nga way trabaho pero hayahay” be reported to the kapitan or even to the mayor.
“Ang pagkawalay pagpakabana sa mga tawo sa mga makadudang panghitabo dakog ikatampo sa kasamok sa ilang mga barangay tungod sa mga krimen nga dili masulbad, sa mga badlongon nga dili mapitol, ug sa mga gagmay’ng kawatan nga managko kay mao lagi, mao pay tilokon ang mga polis, dili pa gyod sila tabangan sa mga tawo pinaagi sa pag-report sa ilang gipang-dudahan ug sa ilang mga binuhatan,” the PSK continued in its report.
Everybody can do his or her part in preventing or solving criminalities in the neighborhood, even the lowly sari-sari storeowner or the habal-habal driver, Paylaga explains, adding these people are always the uninvited onlookers, bystanders and sometimes an eyewitness to a crime happening.
“Sa ingon ani nga sitwasyon, gi-awhag ni Paylaga ang mga tawo sa pag-report sa mga awtoridad nga dili lisud buhaton labi na ning panahon nga halos tanan naay cellphone, aron dili madayon ang planong buhaton sa mga daotang elemento, makaluwas silag kinabuhi o kabtangan ba kaha sa ilang isig-katawo, ug ma-maintain ang kahusay ug kalinaw sa ilang lugar,” the report said.
Such example of vigilance and concern by citizens, according to Paylaga, can be gleamed from the four CVO members who recently were rewarded by the Provincial Govenrment for reporting two wanted criminals who were about to commit a crime and were arrested by police.
“Namaypay ug tuskig nga P10,000 kada usa ang upat ka sakop sa CVO tungod sa ilang pag-timbre sa duha ka wanted sa kasong murder ug robbery, ug sa laing duha ka armado nga gituohang padulong mang-hold up sa dihang nasikop sila sa kapolisan,”
To recall, a P10,000 reward has been put by Gov. Loreto Ocampos last September as bounty for the capture, prosecution and detention of thieves, robbers, holduppers, homicidial maniacs, carnappers and snatchers. Illegal drugs or shabu pushing carry a P15,000 reward.
“With the rise of different forms of criminality in the cities of Ozamiz, Tangub and Oroquieta and in some municipalities, innovative measures are to be undertaken in order to contain the problem,” Ocampos said.
“The PNP cannot solve the problems alone. They have to be assisted and the first appropriate and immediate groups to do this are the members of the civilian volunteers organization (CVO),” Ocampos added.
The governor explained that he wants to encourage volunteerism and public involvement in solving crimes.
“Community members of the barangay must work with their leaders and their CVOs. It has been proven by social research that people in the community who worked together have more chances of achieving peace compared to communities that don’t have public cooperation,” he said.
The reward can be given only to the concerned CVO after he complies with the documentary requirements for its release—a certification from the concerned city or municipal police chief on the arrest of the criminal and another official recognition from the court proving the case was actually filed.
A week after Ocampos’ announcement, a CVO was rewarded for his role in the capture of four of the six suspects who robbed a copra buying station based here.
Four others were rewarded in a simple ceremony at the Capitol two weeks ago.