PROTECTING YOUNG SUSPECTS

Protecting Young Suspects

I remember when I was still active in medical practice a very interesting but memorable incident happened. I was on-24 hour duty then. At around 5:30 p.m. a woman was brought to the hospital allegedly a victim of vehicular accident. She was accidentally bump by a car with three young riders.

She sustained slight physical injuries but when the angry relatives heard about the incident they angrily came to the hospital looking for the three young men who brought the woman to the hospital. When I saw them, some bringing bolos, I gathered the three young boys inside my clinic.

I tried to explain to the relatives that they have nothing to worry as the injury was only slight but they want to lick the young boys. I just continued protecting them waiting for the incident to calm down.

The three boys were so afraid. They already sold their cameras and other personal belongings to be able to pay for the expenses in the hospital. That night I kept the three boys under my custody in my own house which was only across the road.

As expected the relatives were later calmed down when they realized that the victim was not at all in pain and all examinations showed nothing serious. In short the case was settled amicably.

When my wife arrived from Manila the next weekend and learned that I allowed three suspects to sleep in our house she was somehow disturbed and didn't like the whole idea of allowing strangers to sleep in our house. I tried to explain to her the whole situation but still she was not convinced that I did the right thing.

That weekend, the three boys came back bringing goodies and foods. As it turned out they were all children of influential families in Manila running factories and other businesses.

I told my wife that the reason I protected them was because we ourselves have young children going around places and I pray and wish that should they encounter problems, some understanding beings should also take care of them. That was the only time my wife was fully enlightened.