The greatest threat to the Philippines is not China or insurgent groups. The greatest threat today against the Filipino people is the internal gangrene of abuse and corruption happening inside the police system of the Philippines. This is an existential threat to the nation, and our leaders need to act swiftly.
The recent murder of an elderly woman named Lilybeth Valdez in Quezon City by a drunk policeman has once again brought too many painful flashbacks of abuse committed by the Philippine National Police and other law enforcement agencies.
In August 2017, the nation saw the murder of Kian delos Santos and many others after him as unfortunate victims of the brutal drug war, while uniformed coddlers of syndicates went scot-free. In December 2020, just five days before Christmas, the shooting of a mother and son in Tarlac shocked the entire nation. Last February, law enforcers were killed during a supposed anti-drug operation between the PNP and PDEA in Commonwealth Avenue—a case that up to now remains shrouded in mystery. Even lowly barangay tanods (village watch) figured in mauling incidents against civilians in several communities during the lockdown.
These examples of abuse clearly show a systemic malignancy pervading the law enforcement and justice system in the Philippines. Did these scalawags and miscreants manage to enter the service because of the poor screening and recruitment policies of the government? Or were these abusive officials once patriotic public servants who were later on co-opted by the corrupt system inside law enforcement?
Whatever the case, the situation is unacceptable to the Filipino people. It is of absolute necessity that our leaders act with vigorous resolve to right what is wrong inside our law enforcement system. Our existence as a nation depends on it.
ROD TEMPLO
Baguio City
Rodtemplo@protonmail.com