Random Thoughts

By September 8, 2014Opinion, Random Thoughts

VACC’s STATEMENT. I had hoped the time has come to be fearful of police officers, I didn’t mean the kind of PO3 Alipio who went on a rampage killing teachers, but fear out of respect for the authorities. I understand the sentiments of the provincial PNP after one from among them stained their institution’s honor, as I believe there are still a lot respectable policemen with integrity in the province.

But, come to think of it, if the VACC, a group of volunteers representing the people outside our province, perceives the peace and order situation here as alarming, shouldn’t we have second thoughts on our assessments as to the real scenario here? Isn’t it the vision of our provincial government is to make Pangasinan the best place to live, work and raise a family? How can this be achieved given the impression of outsiders of our peace and order situation?

On the other hand, VACC should’ve presented some factual basis for its statements for their claims to be valid. As I see it, the group overlooked other pressing, more important issues and focused merely on the recent high profile killings. VACC could be more credible protecting and upholding the rights of the victims (real ones) and fighting corruption if it worked more on facts than perceptions or impressions.  –Hilda Martin Austria

 

TRAUMA FROM THE CARNAGE. I was among the few reporters who immediately rushed to the crime scene at the Pangasinan National High School in Lingayen where three teachers plus one outsider were shot dead and three other teachers were wounded by a policeman who was fuming mad for his failure to collect loan payments from his debtors who are mostly teachers in said school.

The incident happened Monday at around 4:00 p.m. and we stayed there with SOCO investigators and some concerned citizens until darkness set in. I easily cry when I see people cry, so I avoided seeing such scenario and focused on gathering information. But it was not possible not to be affected emotionally when a relative of a victim suddenly appears and wails on being confronted with the tragedy.

It was a day of mourning and up to this time (Thursday night) as I write an updated report, the trauma and distress felt by the teachers and students continue to gnaw at me.

Shouldn’t there also be stress debriefing/counseling for reporters covering heinous crimes like this?–Tita Roces

 

NOTORIOUS ABSENTEES IN PUBLIC OFFICE. The six months suspension served to Sta. Maria Councilor Jun-jun Macaraeg for his one-year absence, except for two, in the town council’s sessions should serve as a wake- up call to government officials, especially the elected ones.

Many in the capitol are wondering if provincial board members who signed the recommendation of the Committee on Good Government and Accountability of Public Officials for Macaraeg’s grave abuse of authority case, looked at themselves first, prior to signing it. They, too, although not as notorious as Macaraeg, are habitual absentees.

Are they not as guilty as Macaraeg in their sworn duties when they took their office to serve the people faithfully and dutifully?

They wish there would also be maximum penalty for elected officials, particularly for board members, who are physically present during their sessions but are mentally absent.  They are no better than the mute who try to communicate because they do not participate in the deliberations at all.

They might as well be chairmen of Committee on Silence.–Tita Roces

 

THE BIGGEST IRONY.  A day before the shooting rampage at the Pangasinan National High School, I was at the Pangasinan Provincial Police Office, and learned that it was the start of the Crime Prevention Week. The head of operations, even happily told me that the number of shooting incidents has not reached 20 each month for the past three months- 17 (June), 19 (July), and 18 (August) recorded incidents, respectively- compared to 22, 24, 27, 20, 23 from January to May. Then the rampage happened.

We should take the lessons in that carnage from a new perspective and consider providing each public school with at least one police personnel as school guard.  The provincial police may claim they don’t have enough personnel but I keep on seeing many police officers in our capital town alone doing traffic chores, instead of fighting criminality.

All stakeholders including the PPPO must do their share to provide the PNHS and all other schools the support they need. There should definitely be stress debriefing and counseling – Johanne R. Macob

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