Authorities, please act on these readers’ woes

Ever wonder why, too often, a petty thief arrested in the big city turns out to be wanted for grisly murder in the province? How could such fiend be roaming scot-free? Here’s one example:

One dark night last Feb. in a beach resort in El Nido, Palawan, a security guard purposely shot dead two unarmed co-workers he was tasked to protect, a maintenance man and a boatman. Four other colleagues saw everything. The killer fled by boat. Town policemen, led by Sr. Insp. Analyn Palma, gave chase but lost him. The next afternoon the killer turned himself in at the next town to Police Officer-2 Antonio Magbanua of the PNP Criminal Investigation & Detection Group (CIDG). Upon learning this Chief Palma requested turnover of the fugitive, over whom they had jurisdiction, for arrest and inquest within the 36-hour regulatory period for hot pursuit. For whatever reason Magbanua refused. Instead he brought the culprit to the CIDG provincial HQ in Puerto Princesa capital, 228 km away. There the felon initially was held for five days with no charges, then transferred to the provincial jail, on the basis of a waiver for voluntary detention.

Unable to take immediate custody, Chief Palma’s recourse was to file a complaint before the provincial prosecutor. The latter will have to call in the suspect for his side, and find probable cause, before filing a case in court, if ever. And only after the case is raffled to a judge, who will evaluate it, can a warrant of arrest be issued. While all that takes days, as in this Palawan instance, the suspect can rescind his waiver for voluntary detention. Meaning, he can walk out of jail and lose himself in the crowded city.

It’s not as if the police has no option is such incident. Chief Palma, three of her men, and the barangay captain have charged Magbanua with breach of PNP standard operating procedures. But then, the killer is on the loose.

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Reader Mr. Lyzin Cantara of San Pedro, Laguna, has this sad experience to share about the National Statistics Office (NSO):

“Ten years ago when I secured a copy of my birth certificate from the NSO, I found out that my name and gender were wrongly stated. I filed a case for correction before the regional trial court of Gumaca, Quezon. Last Oct. I got a Certificate of Finality for the correction, and submitted it to the Local Civil Registrar of my birthplace Quezon, Quezon.

“I thought my problem was over. It wasn’t. This I found out when I again applied for a copy of my birth certificate at the NSO main office on Times Street, Quezon City, following up the release in another office on East Avenue. Each time I went there, frustratingly no less than thrice up late last month, they gave me a Feedback Form stating that they are awaiting a reply to their query from the local Civil Registrar of Quezon town. Supposedly they need to clarify the birthplace and citizenship of my 92-year-old mother, data that are not stated and have nothing to do with my birth certificate.

“What really do they want? Why do citizens, especially us thousands of overseas workers who bring in foreign exchange, have so much trouble with the NSO? Do we have to shell out extra money to get our papers in time for our departing flights?”

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From Mr. Bert Tomas of Tanauan, Batangas: “This is about the pestilence in my town, the rest of Batangas province, and parts of Laguna. Scale insects are infesting coconut trees, causing the leaves to turn brown and wilt. Eventually the pests attack the core of the trunk until the trees die.

“Planters have resorted to felling the trees for sale as coco-lumber, for some income before they become useless. I cannot imagine the economic hardships our planters would suffer when all their trees and earnings are gone. Millions of us depend on coconut for a living.

“Replanting coconut seedlings is useless. The insects attack young trees as well. If spared, the saplings will take five to ten years to fruit.

“Last Sept. I met with personnel from the Philippine Coconut Authority. They could do nothing as they lack funds and knowhow to combat the pestilence, they said. There are only nine of them servicing the whole Batangas.

“I personally have seen the same coconut infestation in Mt. Makiling, in adjacent Laguna province. I am hoping against hope it has not spread to the next province of Quezon.

“I have heard President Noynoy Aquino and Agriculture Sec. Proceso Alcala (who is from Quezon) talk about the bright prospects for coconut products domestically and abroad. I wonder if they, and our local officials, are aware of the problem. If they are doing something about it, we have not been informed. The country’s entire coconut industry could be wiped out.

“Please, help us send this message to the authorities, before it’s too late: save whatever is left of our coconuts.”

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