What coup d’état is he talking about?

The National Police spokesman was queried yesterday on news radio about a racket victimizing motorists. So vague were his responses that listeners were left thinking the cops are undependable. To think that their pay has just been doubled, not a few texted in disappointment.

Played on lone drivers, the old scam comes with new props. A “magtataho” would bump the side of a passing car with his bucket, then exaggeratedly tumble on the road. The driver, thinking it was his fault, would alight and offer to take the poor dazed guy to the hospital. The latter would instead ask for cash, say, P2,000, for his spilt wares and “injuries.” The motorist gladly would give and be off without any more hassle. Only later would he realize he’d been had; his car would be dented not on any front point of impact but on the rear side.

Variations of the scam have a cripple or a child getting “hit.” Sometimes the “victim” has cohorts, who steal the distracted driver’s belongings or the car.

To all that the police spokesman could only advise motorists to “be careful.” As if they’re not already. Supposedly the police are “always there to assist.” Duh? And what if the conman has cohorts? He said they too should be charged. Really? Pray tell how the lone driver, more so a woman, can arrest and haul to police precinct three or more thugs.

A more practical advice would be to drive to the nearest police or barangay outpost. The driver can’t be accused of hit-and-run if he does that thinking he was in danger. Being quick to video the events can also help. A dash-cam can prove that the driver hit no one. A handgun, licensed, of course, can also keep menacers at bay.

As for the spokesman, he would do with some learning of realities on the ground.

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A man high on LSD jumped to his death Sunday from the balcony of his rented 34th-floor condo in Metro Manila. His girlfriend said he hallucinated he could fly superhuman. The investigation chief reportedly couldn’t classify it a suicide because it was drug-induced.

Really? What was it then, an accident? Going back to investigation or language school could help the investigator think clearly.

Had a druggie killed or raped someone, would our dear investigator have called it an accident? Would it not have been criminal homicide or rape, whether or not drug-induced?

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Is siege mentality afflicting the National Police chief? That state of mind is pitiful. Insecurely isolated from reality, an official begins to imagine sinister plots lurking everywhere. Every comment or criticism, even constructive, is viewed with suspicion. He infects equally insecure, isolated colleagues. Feeding on each other’s fears, they circle the wagons in defense, and thus are unable to perform sworn duties. Any president is surrounded by such types. They feed him trash info disguised as A-1 intelligence. An unwitting President can fall for it and lose equanimity. A smart one, like Fidel Ramos, knows that the officials may just need a break, so sends them on vacation. Or they may be out to wheedle some cash, in which case he banishes them from his sight.

Last weekend at the Philippine Military Academy homecoming, the chief was asked a loaded question: if he thought that critics can bring down the administration.

Whereupon he babbled: “Manigas sila, hindi nila kayang pabagsakin yung Presidente na elected by the people and yung trust rating is 83 percent. Manigas sila. I tell you, you want to bring down Duterte administration? Over my dead body. Giyera tayo, kung gusto niyo giyera...Kung sinong gustong magpabagsak sa Duterte administration, giyera tayo, hinahamon ko kayo, giyera tayo kung gusto niyong giyera, gusto ninyo ng coup d’état, mag-coup d’état kayo. Giyera tayo, ‘wag niyo kong takutin.”

A coup d’état is a swift power grab by soldiers or policemen. Is such a plot in the offing, for the chief to huff and puff about it?

Only recently they were saying that the police-military solidly are repelling Islamist terrorists and communist guerillas. Those, they said, are the imminent threats to national security, aside from the bellicose North Korean leader. Is there now yet another threat from within the armed services, or is the chief seeing shadows?

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Catch Sapol radio show, Saturdays, 8-10 a.m., DWIZ (882-AM).

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