Potent brew

Cattle rustlers have long been a bane to our farmers.

Earlier this year, farmers in barangays Darawey and Macayocayo in Bayambang, one of the areas most often hit by the farm animal thieves, even had to resort to the use of the kung-kung, a native gong made from bamboo, as a warning signal when the crooks are on the prowl.

With community vigilance and cooperation, they actually were able to thwart cattle rustling attempts.

But the people’s efforts could only go so far.

They were unable to catch the criminals, who operate as organized crime groups, and thus continued to be preys.

But now farmers could probably rest a bit more easy.

Four heads of cattle rustling syndicates, among the most notorious not just in Pangasinan but in the whole of the Ilocos Region, have been caught by the provincial police working together with their colleagues from the regional police force.

Nerez noted that the previously once-every-four-days attacks from rustlers have dwindled even as he gave assurance that the police will not cease in their fight until the illegal operation is completely eradicated.

He envisions a Pangasinan where farmers can leave their beasts of burden out in the field and sleep without worry.

The big-time success of the police this week in this pursuit gives us plenty of reason to believe that perhaps they are capable of doing exactly that.

Political will, smart leadership, and commitment from the force have obviously been the key elements to their achievement. These three, combined together, are a potent brew against society’s enemies.

Now, if we can just apply that same mix of ingredients to address the other major problems besetting the province. Illegal drugs and jueteng come to mind quickly.

Will Gov. Amado Espino Jr. and Nerez be just as confident of a successful campaign against illegal drugs and jueteng? So far, the indicators show that the police efforts remain a hit-and-miss type of operation with no real end in sight. This early, Nerez has already began to mouth the same alibi, i.e., “it’s hard to contain guerilla operations of jueteng”, that his failed predecessors never failed to invoke throughout.

We say, the same formula that worked for the campaign against cattle rustling should work against illegal drugs and jueteng. There can be no “ifs”, no “buts”.

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