Res Gestae
Please BEWARE!
Warning against the presence of a fake police or military was the focus of the last article I wrote for year 2006. Though it came only a week before end of 2006, "Beware of a fake police or military" was an article calling for an urgent attention and action which could have been done even years before. True enough, only few days after my article came out, Vice Mayor Victor Gardose, Brgy Captain Leonardo Gimeno and Gardose's escort, Antonio Gequillo, all of Tapaz, Capiz were shot to death last December 30, 2006 by two assassins wearing bonnet and camouflage pants. I don't mean I was prophetic. Incidents like this did happen in the past but little, if none at all, attention was given to camouflage uniform being used by perpetrators to conceal their identities. Had only Vice Mayor Gardose or the Tapaznons read my article, they could have had avoided that ill-fated incident.
The necessity of the campaign is the reason which prompted me to reiterate the warning for everyone not to take for granted the presence of individual or group of persons clad in police or military uniform. Beware! You might be standing side by side with the heartless criminal in town. All the while you might think you are safe with one wearing a police or military uniform beside you; and, late you will realize that he was not whom you thought he was. I mean, he is not a member of the police or military force despite his outfit. All of us must remember that appearances most of time deceive. It is just like saying, "Don't judge the book by its cover."
As we begin the year 2007, it is important to take precautions against any threat to our personal safety and security. After all, it is not only the concern of the police or military to protect us against the criminals. Each of us has to be responsible in keeping our person away from any harm. Everyone must be reminded that "An ounce of prevention is better than the pound of cure." Hence, vigilance against the presence of criminals pretending as law enforcers is a must.
We cannot wait until another public official untimely ends his term of office because he is either incapacitated or killed by one in police or military uniform. Even the most corrupt congressman does not deserve it. No one is authorized to take the law in his hands. Neither we can allow any one of us to return to our heavenly home before our appointed time by allowing a pseudo-police or military snatch our lives. We cannot afford any of these to happen before we act against the impending harm that those who are clad in police or military uniform can do to us.
May 2007 Election is close at hand. Expect that there will be a drastic increase in the occurrence of criminal incidents being perpetrated by ones in military or police uniforms. This is another event that abuse in the use of police or military uniform is noted. Kawawa naman ang ating kapulisan at mga sundalo! Their identities are oftentimes being used to mislead the investigators to the actual motive of the crime. Worse, many would really think that our police are military are being utilized to advance the interests of some political candidates. Though we maintain the benefit of the doubt that some members of the police or military force allow themselves to be used for the purpose, the enhancement of campaign against those who clad themselves with police or military uniform must remain our primary concern!
(Send your comments and suggestions to rogatepnp@yahoo.com).