Still in pursuit of Peace and Order

MANILA, Philippines - The Movement for Restoration of Peace and Order (MRPO) was formed in 1993 with the goal of its own dissolution. It was also an organization that did not want to increase its membership.

MRPO was formed amid widespread fears following a series of kidnap-for-ransom incidents in the country. Members agreed it would be an ad hoc group to address victims’ concerns and would eventually become irrelevant and dissolve.

However, 20 years later, the MRPO continues to exist as “crimes have become more cruel, more brazen, more senseless and more despicable.”

The anti-crime watchdog is calling on the government and the citizenry to join hands to fight criminality and restore peace and order in the country, making it a place safe to live in.

The MRPO may not have succeeded in lessening crime but its leadership is sure the organization has helped many victims of criminality.

MRPO members emphasize that they do not have weapons against well-organized, well-entrenched, well-armed, well-informed, well-funded criminal syndicates. But they have public opinion and public pressure as well as the community-government partnership in addressing problems of criminality and restoring of peace and order.

Through the years, the MRPO has supported victims, providing them and their relatives the courage and resolve to pursue charges against their aggressors.

“We are saddened that the membership continues to increase because more victims of crimes are seeking our help. We are still helping and we are happy to be of help,” architect Ka Kuen Chua, MRPO president, tells STARweek.

Most of the members of MRPO are victims of kidnap for ransom, including Chua himself.

Teresita Ang-See, founding president and lead convenor of MRPO, believes MRPO has made a difference in the lives of countless people, named and unnamed.

“Due to its existence, the group has empowered and encouraged its members to fight back,” says Ang-See. “It has helped victims and their families deal with the trauma of kidnapping, with the police investigation and case build up, in the manhunt for suspects and finally in pursuing the cases in court. Many of its activities will never see the light of day.”

The MRPO is braced to be more active in their commitment to restore peace and order in the country as it marked its 20th anniversary yesterday with President Aquino as the guest and keynote speaker.

During the celebration, Ang-See, Kuen Chua and other MRPO officials sought the commitment of key government officials to work for the improvement of peace and order by signing a covenant with them.

Prior to the signing, the MRPO requested Sen. Panfilo Lacson to discuss “The Senate on Peace and Order: Thrusts and Challenges” to be followed by Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, who will tackle the thrusts and challenges on peace and order from the point of view of the DILG.

Ted Failon, news anchor of ABS-CBN News & Public Affairs, is set to give reactions and inputs on Media and the Peace and Order Campaign.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Alan Purisima and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima will also talk about the PNP and the “DOJ Peace and Order: Thrusts and Challenges” respectively.

Through the covenant, the MRPO would lobby for more effective laws to combat criminality, to amend laws that are adverse and not protective of the rights of victims of crimes.

“Criminality continues to threaten people’s lives and properties. The citizenry do not feel safe – in their homes, at school or at work,” the MRPO said. “The tentacles of criminals have spared no one, not even young, innocent victims, and at each instance, crimes have become more cruel, more brazen, more senseless and more despicable.”

“We cry out in anguish over such wanton mockery of the rule of law and utter disregard for the value of human life.”

The MRPO said the citizenry and the government must come together to fight criminality and restore peace and order, to make the criminal justice system more effective, efficient, incorruptible and trustworthy.

“We hope to make the police, the prosecution, the courts and the correction system more responsive; and the citizenry more proactive and responsible in fighting criminality,” the MRPO covenant reads in part.

The MRPO also hopes to educate, inform and empower the citizenry to get involved in the campaign against criminality, and to practice preventive measures to minimize chances of victimization.

The group says the government and the community must also provide comfort and support to victims and their families as well as their witnesses and encourage their full cooperation in the apprehension, prosecution punishment and detention of the perpetrators of these crimes.

“The government and the citizenry must commit to work in partnership to restore sanity and decency in people’s lives,” the MRPO notes.

On Jan. 13, 1993 the MRPO spearheaded the protest march during the funeral of 15-year-old Charlene Sy, the tragic victim of the relentless kidnapping rampage. Under the auspices of Kaisa Para Sa Kaunlaran, local Tsinoy organizations and nearly 200 other groups participated in the first-ever protest march in the history of the Tsinoy community.

Charlene was killed on Jan. 7, 1993 in the shootout between pursuing law enforcers and her abductors.

At that time, MRPO’s slogan was “After Charlene, who’s next?” The founders thought it was a rhetorical question.

Exactly 10 years after the death of Charlene, in 2003, the group was reorganized and made up entirely of kidnap victims and their families. It once more organized the protest march at the funeral of Coca-Cola executive Betti Chua Sy, who was killed by her kidnappers during the resurgence of kidnapping.

“Sadly, 20 years went by swiftly and the ad hoc group is now a permanent fixture. With Kaisa Para Sa Kaunlaran as lead convenor, MRPO later joined up with the mainstream group Citizens Action Against Crime  in dealing not just with the kidnapping problem but also the much needed reforms in the entire criminal justice system,” said Ang-See.

Aside from Charlene, other prominent cases were painstakingly and successfully pursued by the victims with the help of MRPO. The conviction of the six Chinese kidnappers of Jacky Rowena Tiu after nine long years of trial was another triumph.

At present, the MRPO has five different groups to ensure proper actions are taken in every case. They are the court watch group; the PNP-liaison group; the prosecution/DOJ-liaison group; the community-liaison group and the membership, programs and events committee.

The court watch group mobilizes members to be present in important hearings and give moral support to the victims during trial of their cases and especially during promulgation of sentences upon conviction of the kidnappers.

The PNP-liaison group links members up with police authorities, helps them seek assistance from the police whenever necessary, helps the police gain the confidence of the victims and enable them to gather leads and information from witnesses. This includes liaison with the Police Security and Protection Group to provide security detail to members whenever necessary, especially during promulgation of sentences.

The prosecution/DOJ liaison group links members with the prosecution pillar and the Department of Justice to help fast track their cases and to request for special prosecutors to attend to crucial cases.

The community-liaison group helps link up with various other organizations and groups in planning fora, seminars and attending to other initiatives like reforms in the criminal justice system.

The membership, programs and events committee helps members disseminate information, plan events and programs that will build better relationship among members and tap their potentials and support in achieving the organization’s objectives.

Even as its members vow to continue as long as they are needed, their goal is still for the organization to become irrelevant and not be around to celebrate another major anniversary.