By LITO RULONA
Correspondent
THE Integrated Bar of the Philippines – Misamis Oriental Chapter (IBP-MO) raised fears that President Rodrigo Duterte’s plan to create a “death squad” targeting suspected communist rebels, criminal, and drug dealers would only bring more chaos and negative effect in the community.
IBP-MO Chapter President Atty. Eddie Cuaresma, over the weekend, said the process in the implementation would worsen the entire situation.
“Mura og dili gyud maayo tungod kay sa atong Constitution nag-ingon man nga no person should be deprive of his life, liberty, and property. We have the due process of law. Ikaw kung naa sala talaron ikaw sa hukmanan,” he said.
He said if a person meted high penalty in court then it would be implemented. However, the penalty of death has been cancelled and abolished.
“Mura kini og summary killing. I hope it would be reconsidered by the President kay lisod kaayo. This will encourage other people to create their own death squads. Violence begets violence. We cannot solve a problem by creating another problem,” he added.
Cuaresma said with the present worsening situation, the police laws should be strengthen by eradicating police officials and men involved in some illegal activities.
“Dili maayo ang sulbad sa problema mao ang pagpatay. With all due respect, nakita man gud niya nga weak ang atong sistema,” he pointed out.
He said existing law should be sustained.
“There must be a law because we are under the government of laws. Re-imposition of death penalty can be considered as a sign of relief and so be it. Other countries have their own death penalty,” he said.
Police Regional Office-10 spokesperson Supt. Surki Sereñas admitted that the concern is the enforcement of existing laws.
“Number of the police personnel who implement existing laws ang kulang. Enforcement ang among concern. Ideal existing police officer ratio is one police officer to 500 residents in every community. However in Northern Mindanao alone the existing ratio in number is 1:2,000 residents,” he said.
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