Tolerating illegal things

Cesar Gorillo .

IF you go to Cruz-Taal Street,  many supple female youngsters there, as young as 16 years, are plying their bodies for a one-night stand of sex with their bugaw in tow offering their “products” to passersby. This is offering prostitution as a service to interested customers. Of course, prostitution is illegal in the Philippines. But who arrest  them? None.

That is the big question. Why is prostitution tolerated by the authorities knowing full well that this is prohibited by law? The reason is simple. The authorities are customers themselves and other civilian customers resent being arrested for an act that everybody does.  The young girls are considered as just innocent victims who sell their bodies to earn income to support their families.  And authorities sympathize with that.  Kaluoy daw pud. And much more, nobody ever filed a complaint because they have not been affected by these prostitutes-customer transactions. So, there you are.

Another thing that is grossly illegal is vote buying during elections. But who got caught? And who files a case? Not any other party because both of them are vote buyers. And voters do not file complaint because they also receive money. If ever there are isolated cases of vote buyers being caught, the case is later on dismissed for lack of witnesses.  I have yet to see an accused imprisoned for vote-buying. That is why vote buying has become part of the election process and because it has been accepted as part of the political exercise called election to give free people a chance to elect those they intend to govern, being elected is becoming a funny thing because only those with big budgets usually win the election.  If you are a bar topnotcher and you ran for election with no budget to buy votes, forget about it.  That is why nationally known people like Bono Adaza always lose the elections in Camiguin because he is dependent on his national fame. Vote buying is illegal?  Forget about it.

Another gross violation that is painful to the eyes is illegal parking. People with their cars simply use the main street,  which is already choked with traffic, as their parking areas, double parking to boot. But taxis which pick up passenger on a wrong pick-up point are immediately issued violation tickets by these very efficient (kuno) traffic officers. Why apprehend the taxi drivers who are moving and will immediately leave the pick-up point?  Arrest the drivers who park their car along the side street for 24 hours! Ay naku!

There are simply plenty of laws that have been passed and our officers simply lend a deaf ear to them.

Seat belt law? Forget about it. No traffic officer ever give a hoot about this unimplemented law.

We are a nation of so many laws and few ever bother to effect their implementation. Illegal gambling?  I have yet to see mahjong players being arrested whose stakes are in the millions in their secret gambling abodes. I have yet to hear of these illegal gambling sessions being raided.

Anti-smoking law?  Another funny law. Many citizens smoke.  Who will arrest themselves? We are a nation of so many laws, but we cannot afford be  victims ourselves.