The Big Four

Just how easy is it to avoid the law in the Philippines? Apparently, quite easy. Just ask the four big fugitives, Jovito Palparan, Ruben Ecleo and the brothers Joel and Mario Reyes of Palawan. The four have eluded authorities for months now, putting into serious doubt the capabilities of the Philippine National Police to find personalities who are wanted by the law. Let me add to that list Ramona Bautista who was able to leave the country when her brother was killed.

The PNP has now formed a task force to hunt these so-called “Big Four.” Big, because they are all influential, with money, religion and the power of the military behind them. I say big because they cast a big shadow on the PNP. Why is it so hard to find these people, but apparently so easy to find the rest of criminal world? The PNP is so fast in locating massacre suspects, robbery and rape perpetrators. But when it comes to these four, zip? Does their influence cover the PNP as well?

Which is why I am just as skeptical about this task force as with anything the PNP has to offer when it comes to finding high profile suspects. Why do you even need a task force, when it is the job of the PNP to find suspects? Does forming a task force entail more pay for those involved, thereby producing results? Is there a reward for them if they catch any of the elusive four?

If these four are influential, could there be anybody more influential than the President himself? He has everything at his disposal, and his word should be the highest word in the land. I don’t know of any of these four being close to the President, thereby dispelling whatever thoughts there are that they are getting help from “above.” Sow why on earth, more specifically the Philippines, can’t they be found?

What this administration should do, and do to their utmost, is catch fugitives from the law. Especially those involved in high profile crimes. It shows that the law indeed covers all, and not just those who are easy to catch, with no influence or wealth to cover their tracks or buy their freedoms, but everyone, more so those who feel or believe in their minds that they can, or should escape the law. We are now making history in the impeachment of a sitting Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. If ever he is convicted, then it sets a precedent for those who still hide behind the very law that we are all supposed to obey.

Find the “Big Four”.