“When people are laughing, they’re generally not killing one another.” –Alan Alda

There is a popular saying that goes “if your bosses are your own ‘enemies,’ you can’t be rescued – even by the ghosts in heaven.” If it’s true those who wanted Police Officer 1 (PO1) Dorben Acap dead were his own superiors, then he really has reason to panic and feel “helpless,” as reported.

The police officer is reportedly on a watch list for individuals linked with illegal drugs in the Western Visayas. He has denied the allegations and swore he is not a rogue cop In addition, he has also been speaking with the media and threatening to “tell everything” once fully recovered.

In the mob world, if a victim’s superiors ordered a hit and he survived, they would usually consider him a “dead man talking.”

Targets of assassination by “big” organizations who survive are usually mowed down in subsequent attempts. Harassment and assault, which have “imprimatur” from “above,” will never stop. This is depicted in films about the mafia and other big crime syndicates that exterminate those among their ranks that have either ratted the organization out or have become “too big for their britches.”

Let’s hope this does not happen to Acap, especially if he is innocent – one should always be presumed innocent before being proven guilty; he may even be a victim of mistaken identity.

However, if he is “notorious” (whatever that means), he should be given his day in court and not subjected to gossip.

Meanwhile, there is no evidence Philippine National Police bigwigs in the Western Visayas were behind the incident, which saw Acap gunned down by motorcycle-riding gunmen in Iloilo City’s Arevalo District last week. It was also not immediately established that the attempt was connected to President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to kill drug traffickers, including barangay officials and “narco-cops.”

The victim, however, insists PO2 Melvin Mocorro was one of the three gunmen.

Moccoro has since been placed under hospital arrest by Arevalo Police Station chief, Police Senior Inspector Mary Grace Borio, as he is confined at the Iloilo Mission Hospital in the Jaro district. Acap is receiving treatment at the Medical City Iloilo in the Molo district. Both are expected to recover and survive.

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So far, the 2018 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals will see Russia against Croatia and Uruguay facing France. By the time this column is published, we will know the results of the remaining round of 16 matches.

This year’s competition has been touted as “one of the best,” if not the best, because of the upsets and surprises, not to mention, the quality of performances executed by both highly-touted and not-so-great soccer players.

We are near the semifinals and the finals and the world is going crazy./WDJ