A teachable moment

This Sinulog was not without its controversial moments. One of these was the arrest of two Engineering students who were arrested for posting a rude photo online.

Just in case you didn’t know about this, in that photo posted online the students were showing their middle finger while cops were seen in the background. This happened last Sunday night along Lapu-Lapu Street, in Barangay San Roque, Cebu City.

However, the students insisted that they didn’t mean to show any disrespect to the policemen. They said they intended that message for their friends; it was just a coincidence that the policemen happened to be in the photo.

However, it seems the police aren’t buying it and have plans to file charges.

“Maka-offend pud sa atong kapulisan nga naningkamot diha og trabaho, naningkamot pagduty para lang ma ensure nga safety ug secured ang tanan unya yaga-yagaan lang ta… Even siguro not with the policeman to siya gibuhat, medyo ma-offend g’yud pud ang organization ug ang tawo pud nga naningkamot didto,” said Cebu City Police Office deputy director for operations, Police Lieutenant Colonel Janette Rafter.

We can actually look at this incident as a teachable moment for both parties.

For the two students, it should teach them to be respectful of others, in this case their “elders” who are the policemen. If the policemen were not the intended target of the rude message as they claimed, then this respect should go to their peers who are the ones they allegedly meant to send the message to.

We should always show respect to others, no matter who they are.

For the police, it should teach them not to be onion-skinned. There are many people who don’t like the police for one reason or another, even those who aren’t criminals.

We aren’t saying Rafter doesn’t have a point; she does indeed. But if the police went after all those who showed even the slightest displeasure or disagreement at them then all their time would be consumed suing these individuals instead of doing their jobs.

We don’t always have to respond to every little thing done to us. Not all actions require a reaction.