Of crime and punishment
TODAY, we came from a gift giving and wor ship in the BJMP Female Dorm, where there were more than 110 inmates. It was an activity participated by sponsors including GOBIWAN and Soroptimist International of Baguio where gifts and food were extended to the inmates. I brought along some bras that we got from Alvys Kowalski and the lady inmates at first were shy to get them but when we started distributing all wanted and unfortunately, not all were given.
That morning Alice Hah, a fellow missionary, from Singapore went to the market and bought twelve pans of rice cakes, nine packs of chic acorn and bottles of water to be given for the snack of the inmates. Took a taxi and headed to the female dorm, unfortunately there were a line-up of several groups having time with them and we had to wait for an hour before we were called to start our ministry. It was worship before gift giving and snacks.
Pastor Oscar Joaquin gave the message challenging the ladies of turning to Jesus despite their present situation. It is not waiting for tomorrow because tomorrow may never come.
The other day I was also the facilitator of the Day Care Parents Teachers Association of our barangay. The workshop was identifying the misbehaviours of young children, how parent react and how they can prevent these misbehaviours. It’s similar to what I conducted a few weeks ago in Barangay SLU SVP, and the results are also similar. The parents and grandparents agree that children today try to wedge power in the parent child relationship. They will try to manipulate situations and it is so easy for parents and grandparents to be conned if they have not developed and firm child discipline and sound parenting skills. There is also the grandparents syndrome where most of the time, the grandchild are spoiled by the grandparents.
In those two occasions I have emphasized the personal responsibility of people, young and old, in the character of obedience. Laws, rules and regulations are present everywhere, at home, at school, in the city, the country and elsewhere. They are there to define crimes and prescribe the appropriate punishment for crimes committed. The rules laid down to young kids must be appreciated as conditioning them that anywhere and whenever, they must know and follow rules and regulations. That the character of law abiding and recognition of the harshness of the law starts when they are still kids that the initial responsibility of conditioning their minds rest on the parents. And this responsibility is reflective on how much the parents recognize and appreciate obedience and respect of others. It is a conditioning of the mind that brings out their attitude in relation to law and order.
Also this week, Imam Bedijim Abdullah was gunned down with two bullets on the head and three on the body, which shocked a lot of people. It was midday and in a public place in the market just below a building where Islam adherents gather and where a Christian fellowship was also located. The shooting was shocking people because it was very rare that Baguio witnesses such open crime threatening peace and order. It was a public area and yet the gunman was able to pass busy streets and allegedly threw the gun at a stall in the public market which backfired.
The criminal mind of the Filipino is such that if “one can get away with it, then it’s okay,” easily said “no makalusot ah ket okay lang.” Ket no nagtakaw ti basit ah ket agtatakaw, no nakatakaw ti milyon ah ket bida.” Those comments are common and reflect on the appreciation of people on the peace and order, on crime and punishment, on responsible citizenry, on conscience and life after death. As the taxi driver said today, “walang ipen ang batas.” How lamentable and the people suffer.