Faithful urged: Pray the killings away
Catholic leaders in Cebu have called on the faithful to storm the heavens with prayers and repentance to end the killings that happen across the province almost every day.
Along with this, Cebu Archbishop José Palma has also urged authorities to take enough measures to curb street crimes and violence.
"We know of the importance of prayers, and of our acts of piety and fasting. Let us continue to pray," said the 68-yearold prelate. "Besides prayers, there should be a response from the agencies concerned to make an effort to stop, especially these killings and other sad incidents."
The last few months have been especially bloody in Cebu, marked by killings that targeted both incumbent and former officials, as well as ordinary citizens, most of which remain unresolved to this day.
In fact, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said the "wave of violence" happening in Cebu is saddening.
"There is a wave of violence, it's not safe. I will put it that way, if you look at it. I'll just give the chief a chance to work on this but I am not happy with the situation," Osmeña told reporters yesterday.
Osmeña said lawbreakers are not afraid to kill people nowadays.
"The criminals are not scared. They are not scared, not in the time when late SPO1 Adonis Dumpit is around they were all scared. They didn't even like to stay in Cebu City…You cannot stop them by committing a crime by saying 'please' to them – 'please do not do a crime' – it doesn't work," he added.
Despite the situation, Osmeña doesn't have a marching order for the police for now.
"Sila nalang magbuot niini. We will see what they can do. Si Doria (former Cebu City Police Office director) was very good in anti-drugs, considered one of the best but he did not create a culture of fearing the police so maybe that's not the residual value. People go up to you and shoot you," he said.
Palma himself admitted that the local clergy is distressed by this spate of atrocities. His sentiments were shared by Cebu's two auxiliary bishops.
Cebu auxiliary bishop Dennis Villarojo lamented over what he described was "indifference" of people to these killings.
Another auxiliary bishop, Oscar Jaime Florencio, said the Catholic Church will always be consistent with espousing Gospel values, especially on respecting human life.
"We are horrified with what is happening. We are peace-loving people. As regards to what we shall do, I believe a concerted effort of the civilian populace should be done," said Florencio.
He said killings run counter to the Catholic doctrine that puts premium on the life of an individual.
"We feel sad (and) we feel bad. We also sympathize with the families whose members died in the course of all of this campaign," said Palma, referring to the government's fight against illegal drugs.
He, however, clarified that no one could directly pinpoint yet the people behind these killings.
Palma said only public suspicions are surfacing that either the government forces themselves are responsible for the killings or some druglinked personalities are taking advantage of the government's war on drugs to eliminate their rivals.
The war against drugs is a campaign promise of President Duterte that has been waged since he stepped into power in 2016.
In his third State of the Nation Address last Monday, he reiterated that this war will remain "relentless and chilling."
For Palma, however, it is yet early to say if indeed the president has been successful in this campaign.
Nevertheless, he was hopeful that government efforts and initiatives, such as the campaign against criminality and corruption, will bear good or positive results. —