By Atty. Antonio P. Pekas
The headline was to the effect that 50 cops, including two generals and other high-ranking officials, were criminally charged over the one ton of shabu that was confiscated. That is how devoid of ideals are our offices are. Show them the color of money and they are easily blinded. Never mind their careers or professional future.
Such was expected from the very start of the investigation. Because cops have always been found to be protectors of criminal syndicates. From the lowliest ranks to generals. And they hardly rat on each other. If one knew something, he was included in the partition of the booty, or given a role in the syndicate as a source of extra lucrative income.
Not only the uniformed officers are on the take. Politicians are in the same boat. That is the main reason why such criminal operations continue. Illegal gambling, for instance, is a weekly source of income that can go up to the millions of pesos.
It is so rampant around the city and even now considered to be the regular employer of many. Reportedly, dozens of families are dependent on the operations as cobradors or collectors.
Ask any taxi driver where the gambling joints are and they would readily tell you where these are located, even right in the center of town, near City Hall. That’s how brazen operations have become.
Betting stations are visible around the city. There are usually many cabs parked in the area waiting for the winning number combinations to be announced which is done twice a day or even oftener.
So much so that jueteng jokes are parts of the daily news among cabbies. As one story goes, it is better to take care of a number combination that might have a chance of becoming a jueteng winner, than raising a pig. The latter is costlier and its returns would be minuscule compared to what can result from a jueteng number combination that wins.
As illegal gambling operations become more and more rampant due to the participation of city officials, the moral fiber of the people would continue to erode. Also their industry or capacity to work for a clean living. In time, crimes will increase as many people would take to games of chance to survive instead of exerting effort to be able to put food on the table.
But honesty and industry are the enduring way. Easy money from vices and illegal activities do not result in wholesome families or society.
Our hope to stop such scourge is the police department. But, and it is a big BUT, it is always involved also in the illegal operation of vices involving even its generals and other high ranking officials.
So who can we call?
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