He will not intervene

"The drug syndicates are being run from the jails and there's no stopping it unless you really put an end to many of them. These personalities are just really so pernicious and they're like cockroaches that survive throughout. You really have to put an end to the way that they malinger and wreak havoc on our society." This was the statement of former House senior deputy majority leader Boying Remulla back in 2019. Now that he is DOJ Secretary, his son Juanito Jose Diaz Remulla III was caught with ?1.3 million worth of "kush", high-grade marijuana, last October 11 in Las Piñas City. Fate plays a cruel game at times.

He said he will not intervene in his son's case, and he must “face his predicament as a fully emancipated child.” Let the legal process run its course and judge him according to the law. I recall the punishment for those involved in drugs is life in prison. Remulla’s cockroach statement was during the Duterte administration when many people involved in drugs were just being killed. I can only speculate if Remulla’s son was caught during that time.

Many are calling for him to step down from his position as Justice secretary. His previous statement on the fate of drug syndicates has now come back to bite him. But President Bongbong Marcos immediately came to his defense. He said that it was not necessary for him to resign and added the father had nothing to do with what the son did. Maybe because Marcos himself was thrown into a similar situation about his father. The sins of the father are not that of the son.

In Remulla’s case, it is the other way around. Some senators and even a known opposition congressman agreed in saying there was no need for Remulla to resign as long as he stays out of his son’s case. I wonder if his lawyer can do something magical for him to be acquitted of the charge of illegal possession of more than ?1 million worth of drugs. Juanito Remulla's lawyer has already objected to his client undergoing drug testing. If he turns out to be using drugs, an additional case would be filed. But the case of possession of illegal drugs should be enough. With the amount of more than ?500,000 worth of drugs, it becomes unbailable with the punishment of reclusion perpetua if convicted. It is hoped the elder Remulla keeps his hands off this high-profile case.