Wise presidential advice

Don’t run, the president reportedly told his mouthpiece. You have no chance of winning

Even if, as they assert, they did not pull the trigger, the police still cannot escape blame for the botched execution of five people in Malubog at dawn last Thursday. The seeming ease with which the seven (two luckily survived) victims were abducted in a public place and at a time when people were still awake speaks badly about the maintenance of peace and order, which is principally a police function.

I have not heard the interview of the two survivors but those who did said that they were convinced that they were telling the truth. Besides, why would one falsely accuse the police of committing murder? That would be reckless and stupid.

But I am willing to give our police the benefit of the doubt. It is, however, important that they conduct a thorough investigation of the incident or allow and fully cooperate with the investigation by another government agency. A perfunctory effort will not do otherwise suspicions will continue to linger that they had a hand in the killings.

On the other hand, we should also be concerned that until now, there are people who continue to deal in drugs despite the vigorous and bloody war against it. The woman survivor had reportedly admitted in interviews that she and another woman, who must be one of the fatalities, went to an apartment in Banawa to deliver “stuff.”

It is possible that not all of those who were picked up, tied up and blindfolded before they were shot were involved in the illegal drugs trade. They were probably “collateral damage” because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. But there is no doubt that there was a drug deal involving at least the two women.

I have said it before and I will say it again that those who do not leave the drug trade face a great risk of being killed. Again, this is not an endorsement of extrajudicial killing but when you stubbornly continue to deal in drugs, you are inviting death. It’s as simple as that. And you cannot say that you have not been sufficiently warned.

In fairness to everyone, especially the police, not every drug operation has resulted in death to the subjects. More suspects have been arrested than killed. But don’t bank on that. You could be one of the unlucky guys in the crosshairs. Get out before it is too late.

Is the PDP-Laban a flash in the pan? Immediately after President Duterte won, thousands of politicians, including senators, congressmen, governors and mayors, swore allegiance to the party under which he ran. To accommodate everyone who wanted to be identified with the party in power, mass oath-takings were conducted, including one in Cebu City.

It seems, however, that the party’s good times did not last long. PDP-Laban national president Aquilino Pimentel III recently disclosed that they will be fielding only five to six senatorial candidates for the 2019 elections. Only two or three months ago, more than 24 people were competing for inclusion in their Senate slate.

The ouster of House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez signaled the downslide of PDP-Laban and the emergence of a new power bloc, the one that is headed by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio. Most of the same politicians who couldn’t wait to switch to the PDP-Laban are now scrambling to be identified with Hugpong, which also has its own senatorial slate.

The PDP and Hugpong tickets will probably include some common candidates. There is, however, one person whose name will not appear in either and he’s none other than the presidential spokesperson, Harry Roque. Don’t run, the president reportedly told his mouthpiece. You have no chance of winning.

A very wise advice.

Sixteen (dead) in 17 hours in Metro Cebu. And how many tomorrow? How many next week? Are we going to kill everybody?. CEBU CITY SOUTH DISTRICT REP. RODRIGO ABELLANOSA, ON LAST THURSDAY’S KILLING SPREE IN CEBU CITY AND NEIGHBORING AREAS