MAYOR Eric C. Codilla bared at a press conference he called for on Oct. 14 that the rash of criminalities that hit the city is meant to discredit his administration and the police. He cited intelligence reports indicating that the perpetrators are not ordinary criminals out to make money but to embarrass local officials.
Mayor Codilla shared police suspicion that the group that struck the Petron gas station in Cogon on Oct. 5 and AGD Bakery in Doña Feliza Mejia Subdivision on Aug. 16 is the same because of the similar style employed in carrying out the robberies. He finds it odd that the robbers had to kill innocent civilians in exchange for insignificant amounts. The suspects took only P500 from the bakery while in Petron, the robbers left behind P24,000 they took from the cashier.
Further arousing his suspicion is the spate of motorcycle carnappings wherein many of the stolen vehicles are abandoned and recovered someplace else. It’s as if motorcycles are being stolen for the sake of having an incident blottered at the police station, he observed.
Considering police stations are open the public, Mayor Codilla said it is possible that accomplices of criminals go to the precincts to monitor the progress of investigations. He also did not discount the possibility of connivance of some men in uniform in the conspiracy.
Mayor Codilla has certain people in mind who are orchestrating the criminal activities but declined to name them. “Kitang mga Ormocanon pareha sa usa ka pamilya nga nagpuyo ang usa ka panimalay diin maayo kaayo ang ilang panag-uban. Nanagko na ang mga anak, nagpamilya na lang sila og kaugalingon sa usa ka bubong. Naay nasulod nga laing tawo unya sukad nga miabot sila nagkagubot naman hinuon,” he said.
Despite the unfortunate incidents, Mayor Codilla assured Ormocanons that the city remains generally peaceful. The fact that criminalities are sensationalized means that these incidents are few otherwise, these will not be a big deal as in the case of big cities where crimes are daily occurrences.
The mayor called on public participation in crime prevention and solution by reporting to the police suspicious people and activities, and giving leads to probers investigating crime incidents. He added that vigilance is the key to beating lawless elements by not giving them the opportunity to strike. “Bisan pa way mahitabo, mag-amping kita,” he said.
Councilor Ruben Capahi who was present at the presscon disagrees with Ormoc’s depiction by one unscrupulous newspaper as a wild, wild west. “We had incidents out of the ordinary but those are the exception rather than the rule,” he said. “Let’s put things in their proper context; those unusual incidents are not the general standard.” by Felix N. Codilla III
(Issue of Oct. 10-16, 2011)
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