Who’s Next?
By Rolo B.Cena
Pulp Bits


Just before the darkness enveloped the fabled “city of gentle people”, I overheard a tricycle driver narrating the story of the shooting along Perdices Street late last week. An unaccompanied man, alighting from his owner-type jeep was shot dead by an unidentified motorcycle-ridden, helmet-covered killer.

Suddenly, the story of Ms. Tumongha, the former Treasurer of Dumaguete City flashed back in an instant. A retiring, honest government employee in her late fifties, she was shot dead in almost the same fashion. Just before the sun finally set on the entire city, an unidentified man riding his motorcycle shot her from behind. This time, Ms.Tumongha was already at the gate of her own abode with the husband opening the gate for her.

Lo! She was killed. He was killed, too. These are too heavy to bear; too painful to recall.

Two separate incidents of merciless killing adding to the pages of the city’s “who killed whom” book of unresolved crimes. President Arroyo must have been wrong in calling the city “most peaceful” in year 2006. I bet.

Back to the recent case, the police are still investigating the motive of the killing. Others speculated a “drug” related cause; others say “love” conflict; and still others say “crime” related. Hey, we are not judges!

Ms. Tumongha was killed in 2005. Then there was silence. Despite repeated plea from the members of her family, nothing happened. Nothing prevailed, nothing resolved. Whether it was political or personal, we really do not know. But God knows.

Last year, the city was shocked when a minorette from a local high school was raped and killed, this prompted cries from the constituents calling the city officials for a more vigilant move to prevent these happenings. Nothing prevailed, nothing resolved. Whether or not they acted on it, it’s between them and God.

About two months ago, a foreign national was killed in the same fashion. It was ruled out that matters of the heart caused it.

Yesterday, we have Ms. Tumongha, today we have this man. Who will be the next?

Well, it could be you; it could be me. But somebody has to stop it. Whether we say “he” was a criminal or not, we have the proper avenue to judge him; or even her. Whether people would testify he was a pusher, a criminal, or an illegitimate lover, only the proper application of laws can determine “who” shall be punished.

In his bid for mayoralty last May, Dr. Umbac (I prefer to address him this way) criticized the peace and order situation of the city and of the province. Being himself in-charge of the Peace and Order Committee, I believe he would know, or to say the least, he would have known what really happened.

My question is: can you still say living in Dumaguete is still safe?

To the Chair of the Peace and Order Committee of the province, what can you say?

Published, Dumaguete SunStar, 20 Augusts 2007