European Chamber
The Wary and Weary Citizenry:
A Broad View of Law and Order in the Metropolis
(ECCP magazine, December 1995)
By Bobby Caingles
CRIME, CRIME, CRIME. Newspaper headlines in bold, unnerving letters. The
shocking news of brazen lawless acts committed one after another has many government
agencies, and even civilian groups, keeping count.
The Philippine National Police, in a report to the Department of Interior and Local
Government (DILG), claims that the monthly index crime rate (those committed against
person and against property) from January to July this year has gone down by 24%
compared to the same period last year. This is no source of comfort, though, because the
same document notest that there has been an alarming increase in the incidence of
heinous crimes. The January-July 1994 figures posted what was then considered a record
high of 850 within a seven-month period. This was superseded, however, by this year’s
statistics which record an 83% increase—at 1,558 heinous crimes.
DILG Undersecretary Alexander Aguirre is puzzled by this development despite the reimposition last year of RA 7659—or the death penalty—for capital offenses, including
heinous crimes. Murder, rape, kidnapping, parricide are categorized as heinous crimes,
along with car theft, robbery, and arson. “There’s a certain boldness in killing people. . . .
there must be something in the air, in the social environment these days,” he says.
Media is seen as both villain and hero by many. The box office is flooded with violent
movies masquerading as biographies and true-to-life stories, many of them dealing with
the lives of criminals or different versions of the more sensational massacre and rape
cases. These have been blamed as adversely influencing minors by providing negative
role models. However, media has also been credited with creating public uproar over
cases that would otherwise have been conveniently ignored by authorities. Later, various
civic groups will present their various theories as to the why’s of this present
phenomenon. . . . . . . .
(Read full article on ECCP magazine clippings)