Editorial
Terror in Tayug
TAYUG, although a geographically small 4th class municipality with about a 40,000 population, is an important town as it serves as the trading hub in the northeastern part of Pangasinan.
The spate of unsolved shootings there, which started just after the bannered peaceful May 10 elections, resulting in the death of so far 10 people and wounding several others, is alarming in itself in terms of peace and order, but there are also bigger implications politically and economically.
The killings smack of political warlordism of old with majority of the crimes believed to be motivated by the unfavorable outcome of the election for some parties. Several barangay officials reportedly remain in hiding for fear that they might become the next victims.
And the police appear helpless to stop it. Heads have rolled but the shootings continue. Over the last three months, two police officers consecutively serving as Tayug’s police chief have been relieved for failure to stop the violent incidents. Chief Inspector Satur Ediong, after only two months in office, was relieved two weeks ago by Police Provincial Percival Barba ostensibly under the two-strike policy. Ediong’s predecessor, Chief Inspector Ferdinand de Asis suffered the same fate.
Last week, under the command of newly-installed Chief Inspector Fidel de Guzman Junio, the latest incident in the shooting spree took place, again carried out by men riding in tandem on motorbikes with not just handguns but heavier artillery such as an M-16 armalite, not to mention that the latest target was a member of the military force.
Clearly, the situation now demands for action beyond the town’s law enforcement team. Higher authorities need to step in and help put an end to the terror, and they must do it soon. Ministers of the town’s different religious sects have already banded together for a “prayer warfare” in hopes of helping stop the crimes, and they have also called on municipal officials as well as the police provincial and regional leaders to do something. Board Member Ranjit Ramos Shahani of the 6th District is also taking initiatives to help find a solution. But ultimately, it is the police who have the responsibility and the power to maintain peace and order.
Fear has been gripping not just the town’s community, but also the traders and investors. Who would want to risk money and do business in a place that is under the clutches of violence?
If the situation in Tayug is not nipped in the bud soon, we can expect more power-hungry politicos to field their own stable of hired-guns against their political enemies and get away with it as well.
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