The spate of killings happening in this city in broad daylight targeting dispatchers and even women is not the doings of a vigilante group, a high-ranking police official has corrected media’s impression on this matter.
In a conversation inside his office, Police Provincial Director Sr/Supt. Ramon Ochotorena said Zamboanga del Sur, specifically Pagadian, could not be called a “killing field” since the province is “relatively peaceful.”
Ochotorena justified that all the killings in Pagadian were investigated as it should be as he declared that all those who have been killed in separate attacks since January were either involved in land conflict, family feud, or personal disputes.
He likewise calmed residents and advised media not to directly pronounce that the perpetrators roaming in the streets are members of vigilante groups or are members of the police.
“Wala ta ana dinhi anang mga vigilantes ug dili kana tinuod nga pulis ang tigpatay. Let us not put the blame on the police because they are working hard for the solution of the murders,”Ochotorena said.
A report paper on police statistics on all crime incidents forwarded by City Police Chief Inspector Michael Palermo to Zamboanga Peninsula News stated that there are already 20 murders covering the period of January to May.
An overall figure for total crime volume is listed at 200 while total crime cleared is tallied at 78 and total crime solved is at 54 as Palermo urged residents to cooperate with the police if they have actually witnessed the crime by giving written statements.
He explained that if witnesses feared for their lives then the city police are willing to place them under the police’s witness protection program.
Palermo also pointed out that if public apathy in helping the police in its fight against the series of killings will continue to persist then everything will turn futile.
“Ang nangyayari ngayon dito sa Pagadian, takot ang mga tao magsalita kaya lumalaki ang ulo ng mga criminal,” the police chief said, adding the policemen are not remiss of their duty as law enforcers.
In airing his opinion on the killings, board member and lawyer Baldomero Fernandez said people at present times live in the extremes and ultimately is keen on exacting revenge through violence and vendetta but this should not be the case because the law is there.
“Usahay bisag unsa kangil-ad gani sa tawo, angay gyod unta nga ipasubay sa pamalaod tungod kay aduna man kitay judicial process,” Fernandez said.
“We cannot be the accuser, the prosecutor, a judge and at the same time the executioner kay kung atoa ning buhaton magkadugay kung mahurot na nato ang mga dautan, managinot na dayon ta og laing hut-ong sa mga tawong nakasala bisag ginagmay ra ang nahimo.”
“Kay naanad na man ta sa pagpamusil og tawo mao nga sayon na lang nato. This will not do well for the community, kinahanglan mahunong ni kay dili ni maayo, ang hinungaw ug ang epekto niini mobalik ra gyod ni kanato,” he added.
Another lawyer, Provincial Prosecutor Mary Ann Tugbang, sent this paper a text message commenting also to the idea which said that people resort to taking the law into their own hands because they have lost trust in the justice system.
Tugbang said she does not agree to the idea because people may just be afraid of something when they refuse to stand as witnesses to crime, or they may only want to appear afraid. News grabbed from www.micmedina.tk
“First, it could be the culture of apathy, or the culture of fear—ang pobre walay mahimo kontra sa dato, ang walay konseksiyon mapildi. Naa pod nang imagined threat: gauna ang kahadlok bisag walay angay kahadlokan,” she explained.
This fear may have something to do with the institutions also, Tugbang added, and these need improvement, like the witness protection program, which she clarified, needs to be reviewed because this might create dependency.
“Dili lang protection from physical harm and demands from the witnesses, mangayo na og protection sa tibuok niyang pamilya kay na-uproot man economically, mangayo og employment and financial assistance,” she said.
“Another reason why they are afraid is ignorance of the system, of their rights and of their responsibility as a member of the society,” she concluded.
REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA & JONG CADION
In a conversation inside his office, Police Provincial Director Sr/Supt. Ramon Ochotorena said Zamboanga del Sur, specifically Pagadian, could not be called a “killing field” since the province is “relatively peaceful.”
Ochotorena justified that all the killings in Pagadian were investigated as it should be as he declared that all those who have been killed in separate attacks since January were either involved in land conflict, family feud, or personal disputes.
He likewise calmed residents and advised media not to directly pronounce that the perpetrators roaming in the streets are members of vigilante groups or are members of the police.
“Wala ta ana dinhi anang mga vigilantes ug dili kana tinuod nga pulis ang tigpatay. Let us not put the blame on the police because they are working hard for the solution of the murders,”Ochotorena said.
A report paper on police statistics on all crime incidents forwarded by City Police Chief Inspector Michael Palermo to Zamboanga Peninsula News stated that there are already 20 murders covering the period of January to May.
An overall figure for total crime volume is listed at 200 while total crime cleared is tallied at 78 and total crime solved is at 54 as Palermo urged residents to cooperate with the police if they have actually witnessed the crime by giving written statements.
He explained that if witnesses feared for their lives then the city police are willing to place them under the police’s witness protection program.
Palermo also pointed out that if public apathy in helping the police in its fight against the series of killings will continue to persist then everything will turn futile.
“Ang nangyayari ngayon dito sa Pagadian, takot ang mga tao magsalita kaya lumalaki ang ulo ng mga criminal,” the police chief said, adding the policemen are not remiss of their duty as law enforcers.
In airing his opinion on the killings, board member and lawyer Baldomero Fernandez said people at present times live in the extremes and ultimately is keen on exacting revenge through violence and vendetta but this should not be the case because the law is there.
“Usahay bisag unsa kangil-ad gani sa tawo, angay gyod unta nga ipasubay sa pamalaod tungod kay aduna man kitay judicial process,” Fernandez said.
“We cannot be the accuser, the prosecutor, a judge and at the same time the executioner kay kung atoa ning buhaton magkadugay kung mahurot na nato ang mga dautan, managinot na dayon ta og laing hut-ong sa mga tawong nakasala bisag ginagmay ra ang nahimo.”
“Kay naanad na man ta sa pagpamusil og tawo mao nga sayon na lang nato. This will not do well for the community, kinahanglan mahunong ni kay dili ni maayo, ang hinungaw ug ang epekto niini mobalik ra gyod ni kanato,” he added.
Another lawyer, Provincial Prosecutor Mary Ann Tugbang, sent this paper a text message commenting also to the idea which said that people resort to taking the law into their own hands because they have lost trust in the justice system.
Tugbang said she does not agree to the idea because people may just be afraid of something when they refuse to stand as witnesses to crime, or they may only want to appear afraid. News grabbed from www.micmedina.tk
“First, it could be the culture of apathy, or the culture of fear—ang pobre walay mahimo kontra sa dato, ang walay konseksiyon mapildi. Naa pod nang imagined threat: gauna ang kahadlok bisag walay angay kahadlokan,” she explained.
This fear may have something to do with the institutions also, Tugbang added, and these need improvement, like the witness protection program, which she clarified, needs to be reviewed because this might create dependency.
“Dili lang protection from physical harm and demands from the witnesses, mangayo na og protection sa tibuok niyang pamilya kay na-uproot man economically, mangayo og employment and financial assistance,” she said.
“Another reason why they are afraid is ignorance of the system, of their rights and of their responsibility as a member of the society,” she concluded.
REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA & JONG CADION
