An inutile government

This government is inutile because it can’t rescue the hostages being held by the Abu Sayyaf, a ragtag group of Moro bandits, despite all the resources at its command.

A few days ago, Canadian John Ridsel—who was abducted by the bandit group along with a fellow Canadian, a Norwegian and a Filipino woman—was beheaded even if a P20 million ransom was offered for his release.

The Abu Sayyaf rejected the offer; it wanted a P300-million ransom for each of their captives.

As usual, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police announced they would “neutralize these lawless elements.”

As usual, President Noynoy ordered the AFP and PNP to pursue the bandit group relentlessly until all its members are eliminated.

How many times has the government made similar statements after the Abu Sayyaf kidnapped civilians or killed soldiers?

The members of the bandit group are probably doubling up in laughter over the government’s empty threat, idle boasts and hot air.

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The way to deal with them is to play their kind of game.

If they kidnap, behead or rape any of their victims, the government should learn how to deal with these atrocities and find a way to respond that would really send a message that it means business.

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Supt. Angelo Germinal, whom I featured in this space Tuesday, will be dismissed from the service for good, according to a high official of the National Police Commission (Napolcom).

Roger Casurao, Napolcom’s vice chair and chief executive officer, said the police body would no longer grant Germinal’s motion to reconsider his dismissal.

In short, Germinal’s dismissal will be final.

Germinal shot in cold blood Christian Serrano, a 13-year-old boy scavenging for metal scrap, in an abandoned building on May 9, 2011.

The boy’s parents, with the help of “Isumbong mo kay Tulfo,” filed an administrative case against the police official in the Napolcom.

The Napolcom dismissed Germinal and another policeman, PO3 Robert Riñon, for grave misconduct.

For one reason or another, Germinal was able to sneak back into the service.

Not only was he able to get reinstated, he was also given a promotion.

From chief of a small police community precinct, a post he held at the time of the crime,  he moved up  as  deputy chief for operations of the Makati police.

The murder case filed against Germinal has also been weakened when he was granted bail.

Makati City Hall insiders claim Germinal was one of then Mayor Junjun Binay’s protégés—the reason he was granted bail by a Makati judge even if murder is a nonbailable offense.

The insiders alleged that the Binays—from Vice President Jojo, his wife Elenita, and son Junjun—who served as mayor one after the other, were close buddies of some Makati judges, to the point of having a you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours arrangement with them.

The abandoned building that the scavenger entered was reportedly bought by the Binays and Germinal was probably ordered to watch over it, according to my sources.

It was rumored that Mayor Junjun Binay, who has since been dismissed for graft, tried to prod Christian’s parents to enter into a compromise settlement with Germinal, but they refused.

Let’s pray the judge trying Germinal’s murder case will not be influenced by other people, which is what probably what happened in the case of another judge who granted the police official’s petition for bail.