Lawmakers, law breakers
As of today, we have two incumbent members of the Senate who are under detention; Leila de Lima and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. It used to be four with senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Jinggoy Estrada. They are supposed to be lawmakers but they stand accused of violating the law. In the past, Representative Romy Jalosjos was convicted for statutory rape. While his appeal was pending, he was allowed to continue performing his job and receive the salaries and perks as a member of the House. In the same manner de Lima is being allowed to continue her work as a senator and receive her pay and benefits.
Also today, National Anti-Poverty Commission Secretary Liza Maza as well as former Agrarian Reform secretary Rafael Mariano, together with former party-list representatives Satur Ocampo and Teddy Casiño are wanted for alleged murder. It is highly probable they are innocent and just being persecuted. But the question is why are they hiding? If they are innocent, why are they afraid? If they are lawmakers why do they degenerate into lawbreakers? The innocent should be bold as lions, but flight is a sign of guilt.
Ferdinand Marcos, in his early twenties, was convicted for the murder of Julio Nalundasan, who defeated his father in a congressional election in Ilocos Norte. In prison, he prepared his own appeal and reviewed for the Bar. He won the appeal and topped the Bar. He did not hide. He faced the law, confronted his accusers, and won his appeal. But these four do not have any sense of honor. Maybe, they are trying to imitate Senator Ping Lacson who hid somewhere but was allowed to continue getting his pay and privileges while being a fugitive.
But these actuations are things we cannot explain to our children, or reconcile with the basic principle that we are a government of laws and not of men. The young cannot accept or understand why there is a separate law for the rich, powerful, and influential. A small guy caught peddling shabu is killed and forgotten. A poor boy who steals bread is jailed and stays there because he cannot post bail. The justice system is too slow and that boy can rot in jail for years. Nobody cares. But a politician who steals millions from public coffers is allowed to continue being called honorable and paid millions out of public funds.
It is this kind of governance that makes many young people join the NPA and the Abu Sayyaf. The number one recruiters of rebels are our corrupt and shameless politicians. Many of them stole millions and we are taxed to death to pay their salaries. Only in the Philippines.
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