People's participation

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor NANETTE L. GUADALQUIVER Busines Editor CEDELF P. TUPAS Sports Editor (On Leave) RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

We appreciate the initiative of our local police in encouraging the active participation of barangay residents in the city to help solve crimes and crack down on "vigilante" killings in some parts of Dumaguete.

Police investigators are currently worried that copycat killings might occur. They are hoping that there will be no "copycats", who will follow the modus operandi of the killers and try to hit other victims.

The extra-judicial killings, some may admit, helped cleanse the community of "bad eggs", or those persons who were involved in one way or other in the illegal drugs trade or other criminal activities. But that is not the solution. Statistics shows that there are only 85 cops policing a daytime population of 400,000 in the city. The ratio of 1 policeman for every 4,705 people during daytime is mind-boggling. How can one police officer cover 4,000 community members in his area of assignment?

That is why the participation of residents could be very vital in crime solution. The information from the community will help investigators gather evidences against suspects and bring them to court.

This is the reason why the drive to educate the community on how to protect themselves has been stepped up. Recently, the police conducted crime prevention trainings in business establishments and offices, and are now focused on schools.

By educating the community on what they can do in order to protect themselves, the authorities hope this can somehow make up for the lack of policemen in the city.

We must fully support the law enforcers so they can achieve their goals to protect us and put a stop the so-called "vigilante killings" in our community. The "vigilantes" may justify their intentions but their means could never be acceptable to a democratic and God-fearing society.*