MANILA, Philippines — People are dying and nobody seems to care anymore in this country, Senator Richard Gordon lamented on Tuesday.
“Galit ako…Hindi na ba tayo nasho- shock? (I’m mad…Are we not shocked anymore?)” Gordon said after showing before the Senate blue ribbon committee some video clips of people getting killed by riding-in-tandem assailants even in broad daylight.
As chairman of the blue ribbon committee, the senator led the panel’s inquiry on issues surrounding the implementation of the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act.
This year alone, Gordon reported that 108 people have already fallen victims to riding-in-tandem crimes, 85 of them have died. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1421412/85-killed-by-ridingtandem-assailants-in-2021-gordon
“Mabigat lang talaga ako magsalita because parang nobody cares anymore in this country. Commonplace, people are dying, nobody is doing anything about the people, who are dying with COVID,” he went on.
“We try in the Red Cross. We have hospitals now being built, we have isolation centers being built…” added Gordon, who also happens to be the chairman of the Philippine Red Cross.
The senator also wondered why authorities could not “fix” the problems on erring cops who are either involved in illegal drugs or unlawful killings.
“We give you a gun, we give you a uniform, we pay you to protect us. But if you can’t protect us, you must be removed right away because you are a menace to our country,” he said.
Gordon quickly clarified though that his statement was not directed to Philippine National Police chief Gen. Debold Sinas, who was in the hearing.
“I’m not referring to you, I’m referring to the policemen involved in all these crimes and shenanigans,” he further said.
In fact, Gordon said he has high respect for Sinas despite the “mañanita” controversy earlier thrown at him. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1358296/get-to-know-the-new-pnp-chief-mananita-cop-debold-sinas
“Kahit na tinitira ka, minañanita ka, hindi ako umangal dun maliit na bagay sakin ‘yun. Ang malaking bagay ‘pag namamatay at hindi natin sino-solve,” he said.
(Even if you were being attacked because of your mañanita, I did not complain because it’s a petty issue for me. The big issue is when people get killed and we don’t do anything to solve it)