EDITORIAL - The perfect crime

Rolando Galman, a communist hired gun, assassinated balikbayan senator Benigno Aquino Jr. Up until the last of the soldiers sentenced to life in prison for the twin murders walked free the other day, they stood by that version of events, which was the official story given by the government of Ferdinand Marcos immediately after the assassination, and after the martial law regime completed its investigation.

Twenty-six years is a long time to suffer for a crime, especially for foot soldiers who were simply following orders. If only the soldiers, all former members of the now defunct Aviation Security Command, could identify who gave the order. The first of the convicts to be freed earlier, Pablo Martinez, issued a statement as far back as 1994, saying he received orders to bring Galman to the Manila International Airport from a military general, Brig. Gen. Romeo Gatan, who was known to be close to a Marcos crony. Gatan has died, and so is the businessman who reportedly picked up Galman, Hermilo Gosuico.

Marcos’ cousin and military chief, Gen. Fabian Ver, could have identified the mastermind, but Ver has taken his secrets to his grave. The highest ranking officer to go to prison for the twin murders, AVSECOM chief Brig. Gen. Luther Custodio, is also dead.

Aquino’s widow, former President Corazon Aquino, has said that under the circumstances at the time of the assassination, the buck could have only stopped at the doorstep of Malacañang. But Ferdinand Marcos is no longer around to suffer for any crime, and his widow Imelda is too old to be sent to prison — if she can be convicted of anything at all.

It’s the perfect crime, with only the small fry left to suffer for it. Because of political developments in recent years, there are people who sympathize with the Aquinos when they lament the seeming rush in the release of the convicts en masse. They feel that the pardoning power seemed worried that one day soon Ninoy’s widow might no longer be aware enough to care about the clemency, and where would be the fun in that?

Aquino’s heirs believe the soldiers are part of the cover-up, which is a continuing crime. The clemency for the last of the soldiers brings no closure to this case, which is a glaring example of the weakness of the country’s criminal justice system. The nation is no closer to the truth, and Aquino’s heirs feel they are victims of injustice twice over.