The difference between cops and criminals

Buried in the bewildering welter of news reports about the alleged extrajudicial killings of Carl Angelo Arnaiz and Reynaldo “Kulot” de Guzman is a news item that didn’t merit front-page treatment in major dailies.

The mother of 14-year-old De Guzman, Lina Gabriel, told Radyo Inquirer that Arnaiz and her son had planned to rob people.

But Arnaiz, a University of the Philippines (UP) dropout, decided to go it alone after De Guzman got cold feet, she added. [Editor’s Note: Inquirer reported that Gabriel said she learned of the boys’ plan from Kulot’s friend, MJ. But MJ, in an interview, denied it.]

Okay, the police didn’t have to execute Arnaiz because he was already in their custody.

But Carl Angelo was no angel either as the public has been made to believe.

What drove Arnaiz, a very bright student but UP dropout, to depression?

Why did he and De Guzman plan a robbery — as claimed by the 14-year-old’s mother — when they could be doing other things boys their age normally do?

My guess would be drugs. The drug problem is much bigger than we think.

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The culprits in the theft of a bag from a car which contained P300,000, US$7,000 and 10,000 euros were three boys aged 15, 15 and 17. The break-in happened two weeks ago in Pasay City.

The suspects had been involved in other car break-ins before and as a result, their photos are in the rogues’ gallery of the police. Apparently, they are the “milking cows” of some cops.

Businessman Inocencio Tan, the owner of the bag full of money, was not immediately attended to by the police even if the CCTV camera in the area identified the boys as the usual suspects.

I’d like to make special mention of Chief Insp. Remedios Terte, head of the police community precinct 3.

Tan’s complaint was attended to only after “Isumbong Mo Kay Tulfo” intervened.

Of the amount, only $1,000 and P6,000 were recovered with the boys’ parents saying the loot had been shared with the cops.

Nowadays, you can’t distinguish between a cop and a criminal. The only difference is that one has a badge.

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Is the Yamashita treasure fact or fiction? I urge you to read Jimmy Licauco’s column “Inner Mind” today in this paper’s Lifestyle section.

Jimmy will tell you that the vast wealth of the Marcos family came from the Yamashita treasure and how its patriarch, Ferdinand Marcos, discovered it.