In Greek mythology, there is the story of Icarus. Icarus was given artificial wings made of wax and feather so that he could fly. Daedalus, his father, warned that if Icarus flew too close to the sun, his artificial wings would melt. But Icarus, feeling the high of flying and unmindful of Daedalus’ warning, soared too high and saw his wings melt. He plunged into the sea and drowned.
This is a tale of hubris—or the excessive pride toward or defiance of the gods. This overbearing pride leads humans to follow paths that lead to certain self-destruction.
Some policemen have hubris in abundance, murdering hapless individuals. The killing caught on cam of a 52-year-old woman and the alleged accidental killing of a man with special needs muddied the already dirty face of the police organization. The saddest thing here is that it’s not only Zinampan, Nuezca, and their ilk who end up the recipients of public condemnation and mistrust, but also other officers who are law-abiding, loving, and kind.
Two years back, I spoke before police trainees in a PNP training session. I discussed their tenets of accountability, responsibility, and respect for life. Spearheaded by the Couples for Christ and the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals, our session allowed us to talk about these vital values.
The sad, harrowing events where policemen execute civilians who cannot even defend themselves is downright deplorable. What has led these humans to shed their humanity and descend to animal behavior? This is a question that should be answered by policymakers and leaders of the police force.
Zinampan once posted on Facebook that the sin of one is not the sin of all. But there is a need to reform and look into the psyche of these men. Their hubris needs to be checked, because the actions of a few misguided elements affect and undermine the thousands of other members of the organization.
CLEMELLE L. MONTALLANA
clemellemontallana@lnu.edu.ph