OFFICIALS of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Region XI were quick to visit the three minor suspects in the killing of a first-year student of the University of the Philippines-Mindanao. The three suspects are still in the custody of the police in Tagum City. They are expected to be transferred to the care of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
According to news reports, the purpose of the CHR officials’ visit is to check whether the rights of the minors are not trampled upon by the police or any member of their victim’s family.
It is somewhat ironic. The CHR officials were quick to ensure that the rights of the minor crime perpetrators were taken care of. Yet, the agency officials are intriguingly silent on the loss that the parents or family of the equally young victim suffered.
For certain, the CHR officials know that the brutal death of the victim is one loss that is not only felt during the untimely death of the very young girl, but this will be carried on to the last breath of the victim’s parents and siblings.
Imagine a young lady whose life, had it not been snapped by the ruthlessness of crazy teenagers, could have held a lot of promise in the future! But no, she is now dead; killed by teenagers whose only ambition in life is to rob others of their belongings or money just to satisfy their worldly needs.
And ironically, here comes this government agency whose mandate can easily be mistaken as protecting the welfare of criminals. We hate to say it, but the job of the agency could be construed as a travesty of justice.
Add to it the apparent “pampering” of minor offenders or youth-in-conflict with the law by the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act, and the system could breed a horde of younger generation criminals lurking in every dark corner of the Philippines.
Certainly, anyone unlucky among us could become their victims in the near future.
Frankly, we believe that the government, through Congress, can come up with measures that are aimed at preventing young people from taking the path of criminals. What we have now are schemes that are more reactive in nature.
Meaning, some of our young people have already committed crimes before certain government measures are applied to their situation.
Say, why not the government study the structure of the now famous youth formation organization – the Boys Town run by the Salesians of Don Bosco?
The government can replicate, enhance, and institutionalize the organization, fund it, and have the replicated group run by responsible religious or civic organizations. Of course, the mechanics of the institutionalized organization’s operation must be clearly laid out and adhered to.
A similar organization catering to young girls who may be wayward or wanting in parental attention may also be worked out by the government.
It is our take that this scheme of things can best be explored by any of our Congressmen from the Davao Region, especially from Davao City, for a possible subject of a bill to be introduced in Congress. That is, if any one of them is observant enough of what is happening in our society, especially in the youth sector.
****************************
What is this report that a mainstream media organization in the country has secured a copy of the Original Letter Report of the Beverly Hills Police Department concerning the death of businessman Paolo Tantoco?
The original of the Letter Report was secured by the media group Net 25 to validate the veracity of an alleged original copy of the same report that has been circulating on social media. The earlier-circulated copy carried the names of those under investigation in the Tantoco death. Tantoco is an executive of the high-end shopping destination for the rich and famous – Rustans.
However, the original copy of the police report acquired by Net 25 does not carry the names of those investigated. Neither did it mention the cause of death of the Tantoco scion.
Some sectors in the Philippines, specifically those who are against the present administration, are trying their best to drag First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos into the list of people who may have a connection to the Tantoco incident.
With this development in the Rustan official’s controversial death, which of the two groups, “calling the kettle black,” is credible? The group apparently reporting the true story has in its possession the mainstream media’s secured, authenticated police report.
The other group’s document now appears “doctored” sans the authentication by any Beverly police official.
Well, this certainly is Philippine politics.
