By ARTHUR L. ALLAD-IW
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY— Joining the residents’ call for a peaceful Baguio, various women in this city air concerns for public safety after the reported killings of at least two adolescent women and the police reported 56 girls missing since January this year. They urged peace and local authorities to adopt concrete and workable measures to stop crimes that have tainted the image of this tourist frequented city.

In a show of force that they are serious with their call for a peaceful community, women will be among the residents who will join a scheduled march rally on September 26, Monday, where they will gather at 7 AM at the Post Office Loop here and proceed at the City Hall afterwards to air their concerns to the authorities. Residents, who cannot attend the rally, are still encouraged to wear black as sympathy on the call to bring back peace and order in this city.

Innabuyog-Gabriela said that they are horrified as news of at least 56 missing adolescent women – two of them brutally killed – plagued the city.

“We are alarmed of the rising rate of crimes that seem to be victimizing young women. Their disappearances and tragic deaths in such a young age are appalling,” reads the statement of Innabuyog-Gabriela, an alliance of community women’s organizations in the Cordillera region.

The women’s alliance said that a cadaver of a 16 years old girl was discovered on September 5 when her killer pointed to authorities a ravine near Crystal Cave where he dumped her cadaver. She had been missing for more than three months since June 3.

Another 16 year old girl, a varsity player, was found dumped near a Catholic Retreat House in Marcos Highway here on August 12. Showing signs of sexual abuse, she died the same day at the Baguio General Hospital where she was brought by concerned citizens for treatment.

Report to media by BCPO Information Chief Charisma Sta. Juana showed that there were 56 girls missing since January this year. Some of these girls ran away from their families.

In a move to address the issue, City Councilor Pinky Rondez said they requested the presence of police in their Council session.

“We will request them in our session to investigate and address this alarming issue,” said Rondez. “Thereafter, all necessary resolutions will be made.”

As the city is the educational center of the north, students here had shown support to the call to bring back peace here.

“The concerned authorities should ensure public safety. Visibility of the police should be adopted, particularly in dim lighted areas,” said Aileen Ngoslab, a college student in one of the colleges here taking up Special Education. Like other students, she urged for the adoption of concrete and urgent measures for the restoration of public safety.

City Mayor Mauricio Domogan had been blaming media and requested them to stop sensationalizing the issue.

But residents claimed there is no sensationalization of the issue as it really exists.

“We demand the LGU and the police to enforce a safe community.  The City must live up to its premise as a “Character City”. The intensifying crime rate on women in Baguio City brings shame and alarm,” ended the Innabuyog/Gabriela statement. # nordis.net