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License to Kill
First Published: Reflections - Philippine Daily Inquirer Publication Date: 9th December 1992 Author's Name: Father Shay Cullen SSC NORBERTO MANERO Jr. the convicted killer of Father Tulio Favali used powerful connections to get transferred to Davao penal colony and escape. He was seen in Cotabato City with police friends during the visit of President Ramos. The military authorities in Camp Aguinaldo had a review of his status in progress but not a man-hunt. The close links between hired killers and some politicians, military and police gives us much to think about. The physical proximity of this killer to President Ramos, and the repugnant associations that it conjurers up caused the president to publicly deny any connection what-so-ever. The President is obviously aware that such connections are common. The audacity and defiance of Manero to associate himself with President Ramos public indicates how safe he felt from arrest and how highly placed his backers are. Defense Secretary Renato de Villa denied military involvement with Manero. Manero was the leader of a government backed Civilian Home Defense Force (CHDF) squad that brutally murdered and allegedly ate the brains of Father Favali. These death squads have been sanctioned by government authorities otherwise they could not operate as they do. None of these public executioners fear jail either because they are assured by their superiors that the killing is approved at the highest levels. If they are convicted for their heinous crimes they are soon released as was Manero and others. They roam the cities and countryside with a licence to kill and more and more police and military are implicated in various rub-outs, kidnapping and other crimes. It is as if we had a Department of Murder, beyond control and accountability. Nothing else could explain the boldness and audacity of these killers. These so-called "law enforcers" are really execution squads backed by politicians and armed by shadowy police and military generals. The give enormous power to their political "godfathers". Small towns and cities are frequently in the total power of a single political family. The killers personify the arrogance and evil of hell let loose on the civilian population. They kill with abandon because they have protection - they know much about the crimes of their bosses. Manero is obviously privileged and protected. This country will never be free or democratic until it free from the terror of sanctioned violence. Extra judicial killing has become an institutionalized tool of the National Security policy. A phenomena whereby torture and execution can be justified by an official memorandum stating that the country could be endanlated case either and such incidents belie the SBMA's full page advertisements in major dailies last 26 April. One photograph showing SBMA chair Richard Gordon gloriously "saving" some poor old lady and other pictures contradicting this showing young children and teenagers working at the SBMA as volunteers. Why there has to be 8000 unpaid workers at the SBMA in the first place when this government agency has a massive budget of P290,355,648 million for a tally published in the Bulletin Today dated 1982, there were 120 such killings in Olongapo between 1980 and 1981. The pattern of killing continues today. In Olongapo Juanito Susi and Danilo Bernabe were put in charge of the market "cooperative" by Mayor Gordon and they decided to assert their authority. Last August 29 1992 they marched a young man Leopito Sison (suspected of shop lifting) through the market in broad daylight, a stones throw from the police station and the mayors office. Susi stood him up, pointed his gun and shot him twice in the head splashing brains and blood on the horrified vendors and shoppers. It was execution, Olongapo style. There was no outcry from the city fathers or the mayor. Such was his standing with the authorities Juanito Susi, although charged with murder, was never jailed and carried on his job in the market beside the police station. He is noted as a bodyguard of a leading politician. He even joined the mayor and government officials in a parade through the town recently saying farewell to the US Navy. One official told me the case was already dismissed. Susi paid money to the family of the victim. There were no witnesses to testify against them at first and the case was to be dismissed. Recently a brave and courageous woman who witnessed the brutal execution came forward and offered her testimony,in writing, to the acting city prosecutor. This column wrote to Secretary Franklin Drilon to ask special help and protection for this brave woman and order the case reopened. In Olongapo City jail last 13 of May 1991 a young man, Ruel G. Ramos detained without charges escaped from the custody of Lt. Esteban, chief investigator, who pursued him with policemen Romeo Agno and Rodel Sarmiento. He surrendered in public to the police and fell on his knees weeping and begging for mercy. The crowed was shooed away and he was shot dead on the spot. The executioners had struck again. There is no mercy, just public execution - Olongapo style. Agno and Sarmiento are now charged with murder. But witness can be threatened with a similar fate and the case is dismissed for "lack of evidence". It is a closed and self-perpetuating system . These evils happen because political leaders elected to change it are either part of the system or are intimidated by it. We too let it happen by silence, cowardice and acquiescence. It's not enough for the the media to decry the evil, all people of good will must take positive action to change the system and drive out of office and into jail those responsible for it. That is what real democracy is about ,but we talk too much and practice too little of it and so we are ruled by mini-dictators and killed by their henchmen.
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