The police mauling of a Papua New Guinea student who ran amok was unfortunate. Caught on television, it portrayed our policemen in a bad light. The police were supposed to maintain peace and order, not perpetuate violence, but the reverse happened.
Upon seeing the TV footage many were shocked by the policemen’s conduct. They got a lashing in the media. The Commission on Human Rights regional office condemned what one representative called “inhuman” conduct. But as events unfolded and more details emerged, many also said the foreign student deserved the treatment because he has been the subject of complaints from residents for causing so much trouble in the area especially when he and his group of Papua New Guineans get drunk and involved in fistfights.
In the recent event, the Papua New Guinean was difficult to pacify. He attacked the policemen despite the fact that the officers introduced themselves. We were expecting the Papua New Guinean to file a complaint against the policemen but I was told he already left the country. The lesson from the incident is that foreign students should behave and not cause trouble in our country. Our policemen should never use brute force to pacify a person committing an infraction. Violence can never be justified.
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I was happy with the holding of the First Cebu City Rivers Summit last Saturday at the College of Architecture and Fine Arts of the University of San Carlos. The academe involved itself in this undertaking of finding ways to save the rivers in the city. This is very timely as the Cebu city government needs the academe precisely to share their expertise.
The academe has already done some research about the state of rivers here especially the non-observance of the three-meter easement. Enforcing the easement rule requires political will. Research show that informal settlers are accommodated on the rivers by leaders for political purposes.
Salt water intrusion into freshwater aquifers is a serious problem in the city for which immediate intervention is needed to save potable water supply. I think more engagement with the academe is needed to help the local government address problems confronting the city and the province of Cebu.
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In the political scene, the One Cebu party has been marshaling its ranks for the 2013 elections.
Party members have been going around the province introducing their gubernatorial and vice gubernatorial candidates, Rep. Pablo John Garcia and Boboy Durano, who have been very visible.
The Liberal Party (LP) of Junjun Davide would not be outdone as it held a mass oath taking recently for new recruits.
That politics in the province is alive and kicking is a welcome development. With the revitalization of the LP in the Cebu Provincial Board , things are becoming more interesting. The budget of the governor will be scrutinized by LP members in the provincial legislature.
Political affiliations of some local leaders are shifting. One Cebu headed by Gov. Gwen Garcia is holding on to some loyal local leaders who were initially reported to have jumped ship.
To counter the attempts of LP to raid the party, Governor Gwen recently distributed financial aid to municipalities and barangays. But the LP juggernaut could not be stopped with Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy joining the party and more expected to follow suit.
How long can One Cebu keep the LP from raiding its ranks? It’s just a matter of time.