Bencyrus Ellorin
THE Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) has been in the hot seat for weeks now after it failed to solve a crime allegedly perpetrated by their own.
The scene here is not much different from the capital where the country’s top cop cried unabashedly at the Senate when faced with serious shenanigans committed by the constable of the people.
The kidnapping case against five cops from the Cocpo is a sure bummer and a wake-up call for no-nonsense reforms in the office. The disappearance of Enrique Fernandez III reminds the public of the grisly murder of the Jamaca brothers blamed also on members of the Cocpo. It is understandable that city hall officials are hot after the heads of the Cocpo brass. The cases are not only shameful, but could provide insecurity among the residents and could eventually effect business confidence in the fast growing city.
But it is not gloom for the Cocpo. Since the new administration rolled out its ruthless anti-drugs campaign, Cagayan de Oro cops have conducted over 600 anti-drug operations and increased the population of the already dense city jail at Lumbia by over 400. The Toktok-Hangyo (Tokhang) has over 4,000 responders or “surrendering” drug users (SDUs).
Most noteworthy however is that there were only eight extra-judicial killings (EJK) or what the police call as Death-Under-Investigation (DUI), something Cocpo chief Senior Supt. Ronnie Francis Cariaga wished did not happen at all. This is perhaps the lowest among the highly urbanized cities in the Philippines and one of the lowest in Region 10, despite the city having the most highest population density in the region.
What is making a difference in the city’s anti-drugs campaign is the strong community participation. City hall, Catholic church, other religious groups and civil society organizations have jumped into the anti-drugs war to save the victims. The police and the PDEA are just happy--they can focus on the hard targets.
The campaign against these hard targets is replete with “nanlaban” stories. In one operation at a downtown hotel, the suspect was ready to fight it out. He tried to stave off arresting officers with a grenade. A Swat member dived into him and prevented the grenade from detonating. The suspect came out alive.
In his meetings with the Cocpo brass, Mayor Oscar Moreno always emphasize that police operations should be properly planned and when executed, they should ensure they have superior force to subdue their targets. This is important to protect the lives and limbs of police officers and at the same time accomplish the primary mission of police operations: bring those who violate the law to court. And it needs no explaining, you do not bring a dead person to the courtroom.
Among the big fishes netted by the Oro cops was former Maguing mayor Johaira Macabuat, known in whispers for a very long time as “Marimar.”
Not much publicized are the heroic actions of barangay officials, city hall staff, Cocpo officers, the archdiocese and civil society groups like Pathway Recovery Foundation, Cocoon, among others, in making sure Tokhang responders or SDUs are taken care off.
Worthy of commendation are the leaders of Barangays 25 and 26 who rolled out two months ago community-based rehabilitation. On Friday, the first batch of 18 SDUs finished their rehabilitation. On Saturday, 48 SDUs also graduated from this community-based drug dependence rehabilitation.
While admittedly just drops in the bucket, the community-based rehabilitation initiatives have shown the way. This is also breath of fresh air as the pile of bodies surpass 4,000 nationwide, placing the country in bad light in the international community.
Community-based initiatives literally started from scratch as there was no support system for Tokhang responders when it started. It was just lately that the DILG came up with the Masa Masid campaign (Mamamayang Ayaw sa Anomaly, Mamamayang Ayaw sa Illegal Drugs).
Soon, according to Allan Saab of Pathway to Recovery Foundation, they will roll out the community-based drug rehabilitation program in Barangays 1-20 and Kauswagan. City hall, through the City Social Welfare and Development Office, the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (Cadac), the city office of the DILG, on the other hand, providing the support systems and policy framework necessary. The CSWD has just opened a wellness center for drug dependents and had trained community facilitators with the DILG.
Mayor Moreno wants this anti-drugs campaign driven by stakeholders. He does not want the wounds caused drug abuse on families further aggravated by the trauma of violence.
While city hall and the community are busy doing their part, we do hope the Cocpo will overcome the trials it is facing now, and hit the hardest drug targets with decisive blows.
Finally, the city’s anti-drug campaign underscores the vital role of the community in the five pillars of our criminal justice system (the four others, being police, prosecution, court and penal system). It has been shown to have work. We should let it work more.
When too much blood is already spilt, people do not just need to wash it off; they are called to stop the bleeding.
E-mail: bency.ellorin@gmail.com
