RP Police Brutality and Professional Barbarism

It was only this year when members of Central Police District of the Philippine National Police (PNP) brutally killed members of a notorious carnapping syndicate. In plain view, these gun crazy cops mauled these criminals to death inside a suspected carnapped vehicle. When one was still breathing, one cop shot him point-blank, austensibly as part of a police procedure called "mopping up operations". For these cops, "mopping up" means killing everybody, including potential witnesses who could have provided more leads for the cops to go after the rest of the syndicate. For CPD members, best to kill everybody since they're the dregs of society anyway and they'll just become a burden to the State once they allow them to live and populate an already distressfully overpopulated CPD jail. Or maybe the cops do not want these victims to squeal more names that could potentially implicate high-government officials.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) admonished the cops and filed administrative charges against them. They were since removed from the service after a big hooplah. Yet, the cycle of crazy, brutal and hellish killings and mishandlings continued unabated. Crime has not abated in the Quezon City area. Carnappings have since risen. Salvagings and other nasty crimes have not stopped. The PNP leadership has since replaced the head of the CPD, yet these crimes continue non-stop.

Quezon City's reputation as the "carnapping capital of the world" remains. And with such colorful characters as CPD Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU) head Supt. Mabanag leading the pack of ravenous and blood thirsty cops there, expect no such changes in the peace and order situation in this city soon.

And to think that friends and partymates of QC Mayor Belmonte tinkered an idea of making him run as presidential candidate, or at the least, a senatorial bet. A government run by Belmonte would surely be a blessing for carnappers, kidnappers, thieves and every hooligan in this country.

And probably because of the pressure they get for their failure to arrest the rising crime incidence in the city, members of the Central Police District (CPD) see everybody as suspects, criminals and what-have-you.

For having been charged with human rights violations and pressed for "fair treatment", these cops are pressured to treat everybody with disdain. Their overzealousness led to brutality since this is the only one they know as effective countermeasures against criminal elements.

Brutality can only work if the suspect is acting in a similar fashion. If there is resistance, like the suspect is shooting at the cops, then, appropriate and similar force should be applied only in that instance.

In the minds of CPD cops, everybody, should be accorded such brutality, be it a person who was just accused of a crime or just being blamed of an illegal act.

This explains why even the househelps of Mr. Ted Failon were victimized by the barbarism of these cops.

If Ted and his household were shocked upon seeing Trina slumped on the bathroom floor, nearly lifeless after taking her own life, the cops were similarly shocked to find themselves in the midst of a maelstrom.

If Ted and his household were stupefied after seeing one of their loved ones take her own life, the cops were similarly stumped after learning that they were handling a case that's undermanning their traditional procedures and barbaric thinking.

Malacanang has just asked that the CPD handle the case in a "professional fashion" and in the minds of cops, particularly Supt. Mabanag, they're handling this in a superb way. The word "professional" seems to mean "professional barbarism", the only creado he knows as the only way to "arrive at the truth" about this case.

To those who are living in Quezon City, beware.

You live in a place where professional barbarians rule the streets. Be alert. And be afraid, be very afraid.

Kung si Ted ay nakalasap ng barbarismo mula mismo sa mga awtoridad, papaano pa sa tulad nating mga ordinaryong Pilipino?