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Our worst fears have come true. A young man
lost his life last Sunday, 12 February 2006, when three men forcibly
took his car, a Toyota Revo, inside BF Homes Subdivision. The
victim, 19 year-old Richard Ramil A. Capili, a third year nursing
intern at Southville international School was gunned down in cold
blood when he resisted. He was one of our own, a resident of NSHA.
His death was violent and
senseless, and the officers and members of the Board of Directors
of UBFHAI condemn in the strongest terms possible this latest act of
violence against a young and innocent member of our community. We
strongly protest the unprecedented level of criminality in our
neighbourhood. The frequency of crimes against property and against
persons within our village has spiralled beyond even our worst
fears. Our residents and homeowners are now one in saying,
“ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.”
Recent
reports indicate that two of the four suspects involved in the
incident (Paranaque police initially indicated three) were killed in
operations in the province. The veracity of the reports is one
thing: however, no amount of captured or killed suspects will bring
back young Richard; nothing indeed can assuage our collective grief.
To add insult to injury, the authorities insist on ignoring the
connection between Richard’s death and issue of our security. Yet on
top of this, with the 35 policemen allegedly assigned to our
neighbourhood, it must be asked, why did it take the police all of
45 minutes to appear at the scene of the crime a mere block away
from the police station?
We ask
all of our homeowners and residents to pray for the repose of the
soul of Richard. All of us, who have fathers, brothers, or sons, all
of whom God has spared. This is the least we can do for one of our
own, whose promising life ahead was instead cruelly snuffed out by
criminals emboldened by apathy. The very least we can do now is not
to allow ourselves to fall victim to the same fate.
Finally, let us join in prayers with the bereaved family that
Richard left behind. Let us condole with them in their hour of deep
sadness. Let us join the family when they bring Richard to his final
resting place; let us be one with them on Saturday, this 18th
of February, at 10 o’clock in the morning at the Manila Memorial
Park, Bonifacio Chapel when Richard is laid to rest in the bosom of
our Lord.
BERNABE’S ORDINANCE: GAMBIT TURNS DEADLY
Celso Reyes
President
UBFHAI
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