"VIGILANTE" killing is Murder
September 15, 2005
Reports on so-called "vigilante" killings in Davao City is murder and shall never be encouraged or condoned. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was unhappy about such reports and the Department of Justice has called on the NBI to look into these reports as it also directed the agency to investigate other major crimes. Until such reports are substantiated and documented, there is no proof that these are indeed "vigilante" killings. Investigations show that many of such crimes were unrelated to human rights issues.
The National Police is in complete control of the peace and order situation in cities and in rural areas and perpetrators of such crimes as "vigilante" killings will soon reckon with the long arm of the law. The government frowns on those who take the law into their own hands in the guise of doing society a good turn when in truth, they are compounding the problem. A person who breaks the law will answer to duly constituted authorities for their criminal acts, and so-called vigilantes are no exception.
The government has always worked for the promotion of human rights, even for those who oppose it. Human rights violations are often committed against civilians by those people identified with the left and criminal elements who disguise themselves as abused and neglected ethnic groups. The government is doing its best to curb the rise in criminality including so-called "vigilante" killings by implementing programs designed to improve the know how and capability of its police and investigative forces.
Media reports citing the rise in "vigilante" killings is definitely not an indication that the government is treating this problem with kid gloves. Such reports often exaggerate and blow the real situation out of proportion, creating a problem where otherwise there is none.
SGD. RAUL M. GONZALEZ
Secretary
Department of Justice
|
