Out in the Streets…

What makes man murder and mutilate? What leads man to leap beyond lust and lasciviousness? What directs him to disregard dignity altogether? Don’t tell me that similar cases have happened before, to other victims, in other places. Society should not accept crime with the advancement of progress. It simply is not part of humanity.

Some may allege that it is illegal substances that have fogged brains to push man to commit such an atrocity. Someone told me that one criminal claimed that he shot people in front of him because he saw them as monkeys. Another criminal claimed he stabbed the children because he saw them as cats. So, they have had hallucinations. So, they saw things. But if he saw monkeys, why did he have to take out a gun and shoot those primates? If he saw cats, why did he have to get some blade to stab those felines? That excuse does not cut it for me. If we come across real-life monkeys or cats attacking us, would we not just run away and scream? The regular person would not murder those animals with a gun or a knife. In the first place, why do you carry a gun, a knife, a hammer or a saw? It’s not the hallucination. What evil masters men’s minds to veer towards violence? Even if you tell me that some person has marijuana or meth over his mind, why doesn’t he lock himself in his room and get as high as he wants until he hits the ceiling, where he could not cause harm?

Why are some streets and alleys left unlit? Why is a street not remote from downtown in an urban area left to drown in darkness when the sun sets? Why do we indirectly set up a setting for a scene for evil to execute itself?

Where were the cops? Where were the tanods? Yes, of course, they could not be patrolling the same streets at all times. But, at least the barangay night watchmen should have passed by that place for a number of times in one night. I hope not all of them are like the ones I know who would gather to drink coffee and then, go home immediately when the police mobile car which checks on them passes by. As soon as attendance has been checked, it’s time to pack up. In the times that I had to walk home late at night because the pedicab drivers decided to sleep early, I rarely came across barangay personnel doing their rounds.

Does not everyone have their mobile phone nowadays? Heck, the unemployed teenagers at the corner stores type on phones which are more expensive than mine. (I wonder how they got those.) In the event of an emergency, in need of help, in the suspicion or witness of crime, how do we put those phones to use? The US and Canada have 911. The UK, Hong Kong and Singapore have 999. In Australia, it’s 000. In New Zealand, it’s 111. In the Philippines, we run to the neighbors. I think there is a hotline but does the common person know it at all? What do we do when suspicious shadows are seen, when burglars break in, when crime creeps in, we scream, wake the neighbors, look for barangay tanods, run to the barangay hall which would be naturally empty late at night, knock at the door of the barangay captain, call the police. How? Do we run to the nearest sub-station? How near is that? Yes, I know. Those 911 hotlines have a number of dispatch operators waiting for calls and we may not have the personnel for that. What do I do then if I see someone being stabbed on the sidewalk at 1 in the morning? Do I run around and scream for help from the neighbors? Come on. Maybe, we can do better than that.

Why do we let young females walk alone out at night? Can’t the male family members do that? Can they not be accompanied by male family, friends or even acquaintances? If there is absolutely, helplessly no choice but for the young female to go out alone to buy groceries, can she not at least, do that in broad daylight in the sight of the public?

There will be rehearsals for Voyadores Festival, BSP/GSP Parade, Drum and Lyre Corps and other activities. Can we let the children go home early?

Sadly, it has happened. Sadly, it could happen again. Pray that it won’t happen again.

2 Thessalonians 3:3: “But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.”