JUSTICE ONLY FOR ARUBAN POLICE OFFICERS? BLAME THE COMMUNITY?

The Blame Game--Murder is the Fault of the Community?
"It's Their Responsibility?"

ORANJESTAD – The third suspect in the shooting tragedy, when a 38-year old man lost his life last Saturday morning, is still on the run. The police arrested four persons during a house search; three of them are meanwhile released. (Of course they've been released...it's the whole "catch and release" mentality in Aruba!)


The police do not rule out more arrests in this case, whereby the police have probably run up against a huge network of drug dealers. Yesterday during a press conference, chief of police Peter de Witte didn’t want to say yet whether the police had indeed run up against a criminal network during a routine action. He did say though that the man that was shot to death last Saturday was an ‘old friend’ of the police. (Who on that island ISN'T a friend of the police...or the judiciary...or government officials? Wake up and smell the refinery!)


The in Colombia born Hernan Tobias Quiñonez Villareal, popular as ‘El Flaco’, was guilty of several drug- and violent crimes. He has been arrested before, but not convicted due to lack of evidence. (Sounds familiar...lack of evidence. It's obvious that this justice system is not only corrupt, but INEPT as well.) He was deported after this case, and was most probably back on the island as an illegal person.


He was driving with two other persons on the Caya Betico Croes last Saturday, when the police signaled them to stop near Hooiberg. When they refused to do so, the police forced them by cornering their car. The three suspects fled and hid behind a house. El Flaco pulled a heavy caliber gun and fired on the police officers and injured the left arm of one of them. Both police officers fired back and killed El Flaco. His gun was found next to his body.


It isn't clear if the other two suspects also fired at the police officers. They fled towards the very thickly wooded Hooiberg. One was arrested soon afterwards. The police didn’t release the identity of the other two men, one of which is still on the run. It is not sure whether the police assume that this fugitive is still in Aruba. Justice raided two houses after the shooting tragedy and arrested four men and found drugs. Three of the four arrestees are already released. “We do not rule out that more arrests will follow”, said De Witte yesterday. (Same old song and dance...)


After interrogations, the four passengers of a car that was stopped near Piedra Plat on Saturday morning seemed to have nothing to do with the shooting tragedy. This shooting incident happened shortly after the incident in December, which made the police officers realize that it can also happen to either one of them. (Hello? That's the risk of being a police officer! It's not about sitting around in a bar telling people to have a drink, or waiting until you've finished eating your "frosted flakes" and acting nonchalant about crime.)


The officer that was injured is doing reasonably well. De Witte explains that after the incident in December, the police corps has taken the criticism to increase the safety of the officers, very seriously. (THAT is what took the police to take crime seriously? If it affects "their own", then it matters? So much for the safety of tourists...you are NOT one of "them", so don't expect justice.)


“Both colleagues were wearing their bullet free jacket last Saturday. But also the community has a responsibility. As a society, we must not think that this is normal. (But it's ok for the Aruban community to think that Joran's crimes against Natalee is normal...you know as Joran was quoted, he's done this like 20 times before and nothing bad happened...)


The corps has made the possession, dealing, and using of firearms one of their priorities, but the society is also responsible.” (So Aruban society, what do you think of that? You are "responsible" for other people's crimes? You have been affected by Natalee Holloway, and now are considered "responsible" for this crime? WHY DON'T YOU STAND UP?! Pardon my french, but I see nothing but a big island of pussies.)

April 29, 2008--http://www.amigoe.com/english/