Brazen Mall Attack

[Benington]

http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/05/17/pasay-city-councilor-dead-in-las-pias-mall-shooting

This event soon slipped off the news, replaced by yet more political, judicial, business and media assassinations. I have no figures, and maybe one cannot get reliable data, but I feel they are increasing.

Perhaps I shouldn't be, but several features of this Mall shooting seem to me to be of concern. The location....for those who don't know it SM Las Pinas is one of those enlarged SM Malls in the Southern Metro, many doors, large outside car parks. The usual limited security check is made on vehicles entering. I'm sure, like me, many of you have spent time there. So, not the usual location for these all too common incidents.

Does it matter how they do it? Probably not, but something touched me about him being in a wheelchair.

The victim has got a chequered history and subsequent news items have come out on this...leading me to wonder if the ground is being laid for not much to be done about it by the police? Similar to the political atmosphere around the Mayor Espinosa case,

Just wondering if all the attention on the Drugs War and lately on terrorism has diverted attention away from the daily litany of EJKs, unconnected with either these?

[robert k]

I don't see where this is crime that effects the expat unless it was an expat that the councilor killed? It looks like this Pasay City councilor killed someone, the legal system didn't provide justice and someone took the law into their own hand. I plan on not being a Pasay Councilor and I rather hope I don't kill anyone. Just how many expats are going to be in this Filipino's situation? As for a wheelchair? That is standard operating procedure before you go to court? Surely he was wearing a neck brace also? I mean if you are going to sit in a wheelchair so you can beat a murder rap, you need to accessorize!

[Benington]

1 hour ago, robert k said:

I don't see where this is crime that effects the expat unless it was an expat that the councilor killed? It looks like this Pasay City councilor killed someone, the legal system didn't provide justice and someone took the law into their own hand. I plan on not being a Pasay Councilor and I rather hope I don't kill anyone. Just how many expats are going to be in this Filipino's situation? As for a wheelchair? That is standard operating procedure before you go to court? Surely he was wearing a neck brace also? I mean if you are going to sit in a wheelchair so you can beat a murder rap, you need to accessorize!

Should we only be concerned about Expats here and in this forum?  But even if you are these crimes are usually perpetrated well away from Shopping Malls. My contention is that the General Public, including Expats if you insist on restricting it, tend to visit Malls and are liable to use the exit/ entrance doors of such Malls.

I think a lot of Filipinos may agree with you about the seriousness of this crime. That's my point.

The wheelchair aspect of this just struck me, why I'm not sure. But, to your point, would he have deliberately made himself a sitting duck if he knew, as seems likely, that people were out to get him?

[robert k]

Security and Laws for Foreigners 

 

Crime and the Expat- News 

Are you claiming an expat shot him?

[Benington]

31 minutes ago, robert k said:

Security and Laws for Foreigners 

 

Crime and the Expat- News 

Are you claiming an expat shot him?

Eh?

Ah... but I think the question is really about the relevance of this crime in this section of the Forum.

If you want to define it narrowly many Expats visit Malls accompanied by non Expats so I feel I am fully justified in including this crime here. More generally, as Expats, aren't we affected in various ways by crime here, even if not directly involved?

Seems I must spell it out further. Members of the General Public were witnesses to this crime. It could have been worse for them and might be in the future for ordinary people in places they have come to to just do their shopping and enjoy themselves, if this sort of thing continues.

 

[robert k]

1 minute ago, Benington said:

Eh?

Ah... but I think the question is really about the relevance of this crime in this section of the Forum.

If you want to define it narrowly many Expats visit Malls accompanied by non Expats so I feel I am fully justified in including this crime here. More generally, as Expats, aren't we affected in various ways by crime here, even if not directly involved?

Seems I must spell it out further. Members of the General Public were witnesses to this crime. It could have been worse for them and might be in the future for ordinary people in places they have come to to just do their shopping and enjoy themselves, if this sort of thing continues.

 

Actually, I do believe you must define it further.

Are you now claiming this was a random act? As you claimed the councilor made himself a sitting duck in a wheelchair even though he had his own security? "He added that the unidentified gunman escaped after Rivera's men allegedly retaliated."

Just how likely is an expat to find themselves in this situation? Not very in my opinion. I believe you are in far greater danger being run over by a trike, cab or bus crossing the street. This is possibly on par with an expat being the victim of a lightning strike if not being hit by a meteor. More likely that your wife will have you killed. There are enough real issues we need not have vapors about things that really need not concern us. Certainly you aren't expecting expats to get involved in politics?

If this has truly changed your life please explain how? Are you packing up and moving on? Do you plan to do anything differently like never visit a mall again? Not to put too fine a point on it, what is the point you are trying to make? 

[Snowy79]

It certainly makes me realise there's no real safe place if you get on the wrong side of someone. Who'd expect someone to take the chance of carrying out a hit in so public a place where he had his own protection and probably the opportunity also for mall security to step in? 

To me it lets ex pats know if you pi@@ someone off everywhere is a potential kill zone. 

[Jollygoodfellow]

37 minutes ago, robert k said:

Actually, I do believe you must define it further.

Are you now claiming this was a random act? As you claimed the councilor made himself a sitting duck in a wheelchair even though he had his own security? "He added that the unidentified gunman escaped after Rivera's men allegedly retaliated."

Just how likely is an expat to find themselves in this situation? Not very in my opinion. I believe you are in far greater danger being run over by a trike, cab or bus crossing the street. This is possibly on par with an expat being the victim of a lightning strike if not being hit by a meteor. More likely that your wife will have you killed. There are enough real issues we need not have vapors about things that really need not concern us. Certainly you aren't expecting expats to get involved in politics?

If this has truly changed your life please explain how? Are you packing up and moving on? Do you plan to do anything differently like never visit a mall again? Not to put too fine a point on it, what is the point you are trying to make? 

You love to argue dont you Robert 

[robert k]

12 minutes ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

You love to argue dont you Robert 

No, actually I pointedly did NOT reply to his thread stock out because what I had to say would probably have been taken unkindly.

In this particular thread, I would like to know the OP's point. I couldn't see the expat connection anywhere. People have been taking revenge in the Philippines as long as there have been people in the Philippines and I'm sure they will continue. I do think it's naive to worry about the wheelchair but not wonder why he had armed guards?

In the post preceding this one I did not ask the OP if he was just virtue signaling, I'm regretting leaving it out now.

JGF, you might also note that I was asking questions more than making statements. It's tough to see how you can conflate arguing with asking questions.

Edited August 8, 2017 by robert k

[Benington]

49 minutes ago, robert k said:

If this has truly changed your life please explain how? Are you packing up and moving on? Do you plan to do anything differently like never visit a mall again? Not to put too fine a point on it, what is the point you are trying to make? 

Will just confine my reply to your final paragraph...although I can't resist saying that most sensible people don't go walking around outside when there's an electrical storm ongoing, even though the chances of being struck, though greater, are still very low.

I think it moves me to a state of weak amber. Mall environments are designed to make people relaxed so they spend more. As Snowy79 said, the victim thought he was safe there. Up to now, bar one incident with a con artist, I have felt relaxed but now there is a renewal of doubts I have had at times in the past about Mall security. For instance, when entering they pat your back, but I usually wear container shorts.

I think they are wide open here to a bombing campaign if things turn that way. Unattended bags are routinely ignored..not by me though, having experienced areas of the UK affected by IRA activity some years ago.

Malls are all getting bigger and maybe more difficult to secure. Still going to go, of course, but will be more aware with this incident in mind...for a while at least.