EDITORIAL

Senseless deaths

It is alarming that killings are on the rise in this country based from statistics complied by non-government organizations. Killings are being done to perpetuate power, gain riches or for revenge. It is a pity that a lot of innocent folk are getting caught in the web of violence. People are being killed on account of their ideological beliefs or for espousing their rights.

People are being senselessly killed even over a cell phone. One of the latest headline news says 31 teens were killed by a deranged teenager in the US. Another headline says there could have been foul play in the death of Julia Campbell, US Peace Corps volunteer who was found dead in a cliff of remote barangay in Banaue, Ifugao where she went for a hike. Senseless deaths.

It is a pity when upright, young people in the prime of their life with a rosy future suddenly die. It is a warning that the Grim Reaper is just around the corner – a reminder that one could die anytime. Death is the great equalizer. Whether one is rich, poor, young, old, powerful or powerless, one could be placed in a casket anytime due to natural or violent means.

Indeed, what use is money if one is inside a cold, hard casket? Right after the Lenten Season, a time for reflection, killings have been on the rise. There is a need for the State and its law enforcement agencies like the police to institute better policies to stop or lessen the wave of crimes like killings.

It is no wonder pro-gun groups are strongly coming out in the open saying citizens should arm themselves if they feel they can’t be protected by law enforcers. But there is no need for constituents to arm themselves. Guns should be taken out from civilians. A coward who has a gun thinks he is powerful. Only the police and other law enforcement agencies should be allowed to hold guns.

The US, which has liberal laws on gun possession has actually one of the highest statistics on number of people being killed by guns. It is high time laws on gun possession are reviewed.

Going after grafters
President Arroyo has created a “committee of peers” within her Cabinet to investigate seemingly neglected graft charges against presidential appointees with Cabinet rank. The President and Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita created the committee that would apparently have more power in investigating graft cases against officials with Cabinet rank than the Presidential anti-Graft Commission.

According to Ermita, the President wanted to have more than one body investigating allegations of corruption by Cabinet-level officials amidst lingering issues of corruption being used by the Genuine Opposition in its election campaign against administration candidates.

The new committee against high-level corruption would apparently have more power than the PAGC which had been facing allegations of protecting high-level presidential appointees in its investigations on their graft charges.

Now, the new committee is supposed to come up with new rules to ensure that the grafters would be prosecuted. The government’s announcement that it would be going after the grafters is getting snickers from the opposition. The administration better show it means business by “catching” big time fishes or the pundits would just say – “OK once more with feelings.”