BULL’S HIT

Rudy Garcia
Dangerous gangs,pickpockets

BAGUIO CITY – The recent shootout at Paranaque, it reminds me of a shootout between cops and a big-time criminal syndicate years back. The Philippine National Police claimed it was a shootout but investigation bared it was a rubout.

Now, this Paranaque incident wherein some innocent civilians were killed needs in depth investigation. No other than the commission on Human Rights Chairperson De Lima castigated the PNP for alleged negligence. The National Police Commission also claimed the PNP violated the rules of engagement basing some evidence and testimonies of witnesses.

Relatives of the slain civilians are now crying for justice they prefer to have the bodies be re-autopsied. The PNP offering P100,000 bounty reward for the capture of waray-waray or mizamis gang members is not enough to console relative. They still have lots of doubt to the credibility of our lawmen. Just the same, there is hope there would be no white wash and not let this case just rust in the dust bin. Ano sey ninyo generals Bataoil at Versoza?
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The senate filed false testimony against “Joc-Joc” Bolante at the Department of Justice. They let loose and set him free for an alleged capital offense he needed to defend himself against the people of the Philippines. It is a crime against the country and its people. It is economic sabotage. Funny, the case filed is false testimony or perjury instead of plunder. It is like filing a case of homicide at the prosecutor’s office but which ends up in the resolution and information as a case of light physical injury. Whew, so what’s next?
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I wrote in my last column about those pickpockets in Baguio whose modus operandi is pretending to be customers inside bar and videoke joints but actually were only there to look for victims. This group has a member who is a gay that acts as their front liner or floor manager.

Their operation is to have this gay introduce would be victims to one or two members of the group who are call boys or pick-up girls, then they would invite the unsuspecting victims to dance on the dance floor or sing their favorite tunes on videoke. When they have gained trust and confidence of the victim, they would now ask him to order more rounds of drinks. When the victim is tipsy, they rob him of his wallet or cell phone then run away.

This is exactly what happened recently inside a videoke bar along upper Mabini St. in Baguio. A gay was victimized by this group on the dance floor while dancing. The suspects were able to run away before the gay victim noticed that his wallet was missing. Thanks to his gay friend who pretended to be innocent and knew nothing of that incident.

As I have said, the group is composed mostly of call boys and pick-up girls who frequently hang out along lower Session Road (in front of Mercury), Malcolm Square and at Ermita area, Otek St. Most often, they go to Burnham Park to partake of their loot.

Well, I think this information is too enough for the intelligence division of the Baguio police to start working. The rest could be their Job after all, I believe in the capability of the Baguio’s Finest, right Chief Supt. Wilfredo Franco, Sir?
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Maybe this bar and billiard joint along upper Mabini St. should be inspected by city hall authorities for allowing minors who are mostly students from a nearby university to drink intoxicated drinks inside the establishment, particularly on late afternoons. Anyone who happens to pass by at Upper Mabini St. as early as 7 p.m. would notice several youngsters who are drunk with some vomiting at the pavement beside the road in full view of the public. Everyone there knows that these young boys and girls are coming from that establishment earlier ordered closed by Mayor Peter Rey Bautista.

In fact, there was that incident where a rumble occurred between two groups coming from that establishment. Barangay captain Michael Flores personally responded but despite introducing himself, he was hit by someone from the warring group, who did not even pay any respect to the barangay captain.

Maybe Flores was right when he refused to issue a barangay business permit to this establishment. Nevertheless, I know that my good friend Michael will not take this sitting down. Right Apo Kapitan?
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To date, the suspect(s) who stabbed to death 15-year-old boy Chermagne Calpito remains at large and still the subject of a police manhunt. Calpito was killed along Legarda Road while about to go home at their residence in city camp. Because of this untoward incident, curfew for minors in Baguio was again strictly implemented by the police.

But as the heat of the issue subsides, police operations in monitoring minors also started to slow down in numbers. I am not saying that police operations are only ningas kugon but to remind them that we should not wait for another victim like Calpito to happen before we wake up and act. Who knows, one of our children could be the next victim, Gising!