Straight Talk By Nimfa Estrellado Anyone who even vaguely follows the news will know that over the past few months, the subject of police v...
Straight Talk
By Nimfa Estrellado
Anyone who even vaguely follows the news will know that over the past few months, the subject of police violence and accountability has escalated greatly. What happens when the protectors become the predators?
Having a gun, a uniform and a badge do not mean that the world is your playground, where you can do what you like without consequence. Law enforcers should be there to protect the law and make sure it is being followed, safely. This doesn’t mean that they are exempt from obeying the law themselves. The same rules that apply to you and I should always apply to law enforcers too. This doesn’t mean that “self-defense” can be used with reckless abandon.
You only need to look at the cases of Carl Angelo Arnaiz and Kian delos Santos and much more to realize that there is a rising trend of police executing teenagers.
Kian delos Santos was a 17-year-old who helped man the family sari-sari store in an impoverished community in Caloocan City. His mother is an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in Saudi Arabia. His father manned their store with him.
Carl Arnaiz was a 19-year-old who managed his own sari-sari store in a neighborhood in Cainta, Rizal. His mother is an OFW in Dubai, the Middle East. Carl’s father is unemployed.
DEATH ACCORDING TO POLICE
Delos Santos was killed while Caloocan police were conducting a drug raid in their neighborhood on August 16. Police saw suspicious men during the raid and chased them.
At the end of a path, Delos Santos allegedly shot at the cops, prompting them to retaliate and kill him.
He was killed by PO3 Arnel Oares, supported by PO1 Jerwin Cruz, and PO1 Jeremias Pereda of Caloocan Police Community Precinct 7 (PCP-7).
Arnaiz was killed while Caloocan police were responding to a call from a taxi driver apparently robbed by the boy on August 18. Cops with the driver searched for the him.
When they found Arnaiz, the boy supposedly shot at them, prompting them to retaliate and kill him.
He was killed by PO1 Jefrey Perez and PO1 Ricky Arquilita of Caloocan PCP-2.
DEATH ACCORDING TO FAMILY
Delos Santos went out to buy a late night snack but did not return. His father found him when the police operation was over. The boy was slumped in lot that was used as garbage dump in their neighborhood.
The father denied his son had a gun, saying the latter couldn’t even hold one. If he did, it would be in his right hand, not his left, beside which the gun was found. Delos Santos was not a leftie.
Arnaiz went out to buy a late night snack with his friend in Cainta, but did not return for 10 days. His parents searched until they were pointed to a morgue in Caloocan.
His father doubted the boy would fight back, saying his only vice was smoking.
There’s no denying that there are many negative forces at work in today’s society.
One of the most disturbing facts of the violent and politically charged we have been experiencing has nothing to do with facts at all. It’s that whatever people see on television or read in a headline, they are taking as reality.
Take either of the recent events involving the death of Carl Angelo Arnaiz and Kian delos Santos at the hands of police that has been flooding our news. To the credit of social media, we got in one case live footage-- and in the other near instant footage-- of what was happening. This is also, however, to the detriment of fact.
The public has to also stay involved by reporting abuses, filing complaints with Public Attorney of our state, and speaking out in the media.
By Nimfa Estrellado
Anyone who even vaguely follows the news will know that over the past few months, the subject of police violence and accountability has escalated greatly. What happens when the protectors become the predators?
Having a gun, a uniform and a badge do not mean that the world is your playground, where you can do what you like without consequence. Law enforcers should be there to protect the law and make sure it is being followed, safely. This doesn’t mean that they are exempt from obeying the law themselves. The same rules that apply to you and I should always apply to law enforcers too. This doesn’t mean that “self-defense” can be used with reckless abandon.
You only need to look at the cases of Carl Angelo Arnaiz and Kian delos Santos and much more to realize that there is a rising trend of police executing teenagers.
Kian delos Santos was a 17-year-old who helped man the family sari-sari store in an impoverished community in Caloocan City. His mother is an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in Saudi Arabia. His father manned their store with him.
Carl Arnaiz was a 19-year-old who managed his own sari-sari store in a neighborhood in Cainta, Rizal. His mother is an OFW in Dubai, the Middle East. Carl’s father is unemployed.
DEATH ACCORDING TO POLICE
Delos Santos was killed while Caloocan police were conducting a drug raid in their neighborhood on August 16. Police saw suspicious men during the raid and chased them.
At the end of a path, Delos Santos allegedly shot at the cops, prompting them to retaliate and kill him.
He was killed by PO3 Arnel Oares, supported by PO1 Jerwin Cruz, and PO1 Jeremias Pereda of Caloocan Police Community Precinct 7 (PCP-7).
Arnaiz was killed while Caloocan police were responding to a call from a taxi driver apparently robbed by the boy on August 18. Cops with the driver searched for the him.
When they found Arnaiz, the boy supposedly shot at them, prompting them to retaliate and kill him.
He was killed by PO1 Jefrey Perez and PO1 Ricky Arquilita of Caloocan PCP-2.
DEATH ACCORDING TO FAMILY
Delos Santos went out to buy a late night snack but did not return. His father found him when the police operation was over. The boy was slumped in lot that was used as garbage dump in their neighborhood.
The father denied his son had a gun, saying the latter couldn’t even hold one. If he did, it would be in his right hand, not his left, beside which the gun was found. Delos Santos was not a leftie.
Arnaiz went out to buy a late night snack with his friend in Cainta, but did not return for 10 days. His parents searched until they were pointed to a morgue in Caloocan.
His father doubted the boy would fight back, saying his only vice was smoking.
There’s no denying that there are many negative forces at work in today’s society.
One of the most disturbing facts of the violent and politically charged we have been experiencing has nothing to do with facts at all. It’s that whatever people see on television or read in a headline, they are taking as reality.
Take either of the recent events involving the death of Carl Angelo Arnaiz and Kian delos Santos at the hands of police that has been flooding our news. To the credit of social media, we got in one case live footage-- and in the other near instant footage-- of what was happening. This is also, however, to the detriment of fact.
The public has to also stay involved by reporting abuses, filing complaints with Public Attorney of our state, and speaking out in the media.
No comments