On alleged presence of Vigilantes Davide: Let’s not take the law into our hands

CEBU, Philippines - Governor Hilario Davide III said he would still need to verify with the Philippine National Police reports on the presence of alleged vigilantes in Cebu, particularly in Talisay City.

In one of his press conferences this week, Davide was asked by the media on the possible approach the provincial government would take on the alleged presence of vigilantes, or groups or individuals who reportedly take out summary executions on delinquents.

While he said the he would still need to confirm the reports, Davide stressed that he was always against vigilantes.

“I need to verify that. But offhand, even when I was still a councilor in Cebu City, I was always against vigilantes,” said Davide, a former two-term city councilor for the north district.   In Talisay last week, an alleged robber was shot to death by an unidentified man and found on top  of  the dead body was a piece of carton with a “Tulisan ko (I am a thief)” written on it.

Talisay city police officer in charge Superintendent Resty Santos denied though that the crime was done by a vigilante and said that there were no vigilantes in the city.

Governor Davide for his part said that he has always been against vigilantes since he believes it is not right for a person to take the law into his own hands.

“We have the law enforcement agencies and other government agencies that can address these problems on criminality,” he stressed. — (FREEMAN)