BUNGLING AND JUSTICE

A legitimate operation that went wrong?

Or an extortion attempt that was bungled?

People, in high places or low, have different opinions about what happened
in the alleged May 27 kidnapping of two suspected drug traffickers for
ransom or bribe money.

Some think the police officers, Insp. Nicolas Salvador and PO3 Raul
Segismar, accused of pulling it were innocent and victims of manipulation
by a drug syndicate. On the other hand, others think they were guilty as sin.

Whatever one believes, one must rely on those tasked to investigate and
rule on their innocence or guilt.

At this stage, it is the Visayas ombudsman investigator, no less than its
director, Virginia Santiago.

Santiago, however, could rule only with the evidence offered her during the
inquiry and what she got was not enough to pin down the cops.

She didn't have the chance to interrogate the two police officers minutes
after they were arrested, unlike then acting mayor Michael Rama and region
police chief Avelino Razon, who studied their demeanor and answers up close.

How could Santiago find probable cause when (1) the elements of the crime
charged could not be met, (2) the law enforcers who arrested them,
including those from the National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force, could not
confirm it was a kidnapping, and (3) the major suspect, Salvador, has a
much better record than the complainant, Liza Toledo or whatever else she
is known by, a suspected drug trafficker and a charged bum check maker?

Salvador and Segismar took the two suspects by force and detained them in a
motel, with no record of their arrest and no higher officer told about it.

It had all the badges of illegitimacy, if you ask those who know police
work and the law.

Are they going to get away with the irregularities? Razon said they are not
yet off the hook. Even supporters like Councilor Jack Jakosalem think
administrative charges should be filed against them.

Was justice served? Not if you consider the bungling on all sides.

Librando, again

There are many truants in government service. This truant, however, because
of his style in skipping work, tops many others of his kind.

Since Cebu Provincial Board Member Roberto Librando assumed office in
September 1997 to represent barangay councils, he has incurred numerous
absences, one session after another. To avoid sanction, he follows every
three consecutive absences with one attendance.

It's a stupid rule that allows as many absences as one PB member can make
provided it's not more than a series of three absences each time. But
that's the rule.

Probably, its drafters never thought there would be lawmakers like Librando
who would use it to get away with habitual absenteeism, public servants who
are not sensitive to public criticism and private values.

Now the guy wants to be reelected as barangay captain, the first stop in a
fresh trip to the Capitol.

If his barangay cannot stop him, the town ABC or the province federation of
ABCs should hijack Librando's new ambition to stop his mockery of
legislative work and the sector he represents.