Bishop Julito Cortes of the Diocese of Dumaguete is appealing for a concerted effort to resolve the spate of shooting incidents in the city which he describes as ‘an utter disregard for life’.
Bishop Cortes was referring to more than 20 killings in Dumaguete in 2013, about 90 percent of which, the Prelate said, were “extrajudicial” in nature, and involving suspected illegal drugs personalities.
According to the Prelate, it is not an excuse for anybody “to take the law unto his own hands” and kill a person simply because that person is allegedly engaged in the illegal drugs trade.
The Bishop disclosed he was passing through the vicinity of a shooting incident last Dec. 29, and had performed the last rights for the victim, who was reported by the police to be an alleged crime personality.
Cortes said that while he understands the police and other law enforcement agencies are doing their best to address the problem, he also stressed the role of civic society to participate in whatever form to help solve the killings.
He said he is bothered by the rising number of unsolved killings in Dumaguete, as he expressed his desire that “all of us must respect life, respect the law, and that our government can come up with concrete solutions to solve these seemingly difficult problems”. (PNA/JFP)
