Osmeña: Criminals don’t deserve mercy

CEBU, Philippines — “I don’t have any sympathy for the criminals.”

This was the statement of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña after some quarters have criticized his decision to give P50,000 in legal assistance to every policeman who can kill criminals in the line of duty.

Osmeña said he won’t mind getting negative feedbacks from other people about his initiative because he is just giving “peace of mind” to policemen serving the city.

“I’ve been getting a lot of bad publicity. I don’t care. Let me tell you: I care about the Cebuanos. I can’t help it,” the mayor said.

Last Tuesday, the City Council approved the motions of Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella reminding all police officers and law enforcement agencies to strictly comply with the procedural guidelines in apprehending offenders.

Labella, in his privilege speech, said the giving of P50,000 “pursues a cultivation of an environment where order is attained not through the means enshrined in our legal institutions but through impunity and disregard on the sanctity of life.”

Also, Councilor Raymond Alvin Garcia, member of opposition bloc, wanted to push for a legislative measure requesting the Office of the Mayor to create and establish a legal team to assist policemen, instead of giving legal assistance in the form of cash.

Sought for comment on Garcia’s proposal, Osmeña said it is “none of his business.”

“Team Rama has never done anything for the policemen. They are just trying to pretend they are going to do something,” he said.

Osmeña said he does not care if “criminals” will be killed during police operations.  If a policeman can kill a suspect in the line of duty, he said, the officer has to undergo an automatic investigation no matter the circumstances.

“When I say P50,000, it’s automatic. If he needs a lawyer, we will get him a lawyer, depending on the gravity of the situation. I’m just giving them peace of mind. Whatever it is, if there’s an encounter and the suspect is killed whether he’s criminal or not, we’re not going to go through the process to have the policeman prove that he’s a criminal,” he said.

When asked what will stop him from giving P50,000, Osmeña, in jest, said: “If all criminals will die.”  (FREEMAN)