In honor of my brother

My brother, Angeling Lajato, was robbed of his possessions and his life in his own home in Dumaguete on Dec. 27, 2005. Angeling was not the sole victim, however; his family and friends were also robbed, for our lives without Angeling will never be the same. What's more, this monstrous act has gone unpunished, leaving the people who committed this atrocity free to inflict further pain upon the city of Dumaguete.

My brother could have lived in any city in the Philippines or abroad. Instead, he chose Dumaguete, the city he clearly loved. Unfortunately, that love cost him his life.

I no longer live in Dumaguete. I moved away decades ago, although I still have fond memories of the place. My most recent visit, however, revealed that Dumaguete is no longer the place I remember it to be. I was told by several people that what happened to my brother is, terrifyingly, not a rarity in Dumaguete these days. I learned that this city is no longer the peaceful place it once was, but rather a place where crime and violence have become rampant.

In honor of my brother Angeling's life, I challenge the citizens of Dumaguete to take a stand against those who have no regard for human life, so that the good people will once again be able to walk the streets or sleep in their own homes without the fear of being terrorized or victimized by hoodlums.

I challenge you to make choices that will always safeguard human life, whether young or old, rich or poor. To the law enforcement and city officials, I challenge you to uphold the law and protect those you are sworn to protect - the innocent citizens.

There should be zero tolerance for crimes; no crime should go unpunished. And finally, justice should be afforded to everyone regardless of who they are! To those people with knowledge of who the felons are or to the felons themselves, I challenge you to come forward because it is the right thing to do, not because there may be a monetary reward attached to it!

These hopes and challenges may seem tall orders for a city in a country that has grown accustomed to corruption, but I refuse to believe that lawless people now outnumber the decent people in Dumaguete! I want to believe that peace and justice will prevail, that my brother's life has not been lost in vain, that his life will become a symbol of peace, justice, and integrity to the city that he loved!

CLAIRE LAJATO RHOADES
(Through Mary Jane Lajato-Parra
Los Angeles, CA. U.S.A.)

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