EDITORIAL - Underscoring the point

The robbing of two financing companies yesterday is disturbing in more ways than just the amount taken by the robbers - something like P150,000 - which is really paltry by " industry " standards.

It is disturbing because there appears to be something going on here that those in the know do not seem to want to level with the public. Is there, as they say, more to the picture than meets the eye?

Listen. A few days ago, the police said intelligence agents have sighted (by standard definition, that means actually seen) the suspected leader of a Mindanao-based robbery gang, not just once but twice, in Talisay City and in the town of Bogo.

Aside from the leader, whom the police positively identified as Roy Quimada, they also said some of the gang members were sighted (again we understand the word to mean actually seen) in Mandaue City.

Given all these positive identifications - name of leader, members of gang and locations of sightings - it is surprising that the police did not spring into action and effect immediate arrests.

Instead, they seemed bent on taking their own sweet time. For instance, after issuing a public statement that the robbers are here, they sought a meeting with local bank officials. What for? To ensure the security of the banks?

Banks, by the nature of their business, have security measures in place within their premises, regardless of whether the police have sniffed the smell of robbers in the air or not. As far as the police are concerned, their duty is to secure the world outside.

In other words, the police have no business meeting with bank officials. They have nothing to tell bank officials that bank officials are not already aware of and doing something about. Then robbers struck two financing companies. The point seems to have been underscored.