Thank goodness!

I have to admit, this bit of news just made my day. Last Saturday morning, agents from the NBI swooped down on Cedric Lee and his friend Zimmer Raz in a remote town in Eastern Samar. The name of the town? Oras. I'm sure you already have jokes running in your head. "Oras na nila, kaya nahuli sa Oras, Eastern Samar". Prior to their arrest in Oras, they were able to elude authorities by hiding in a coconut field in Dolores, Eastern Samar. Again, the jokes abound. "Nabuko sa bukohan" is one that came to mind. Kidding aside, I'm just glad that these two fugitives have been caught, and were not able to leave the country unlike one of their ilk, JP Calma.

But true to form, defiant, belligerent and delusional till the end, Cedric Lee claims that they were not caught, but indeed surrendered, even smiling as he is led away. Maybe they were surrendering to the NPA in Samar and thought they were authorities? This guy just loves listening to himself spew out all these lies. A true pathological liar, who can say the most blatant lies straight faced and with utmost conviction. I wonder what goes in the mind of Simeon Palma or "Zimmer Raz", who seems to play the brainstem bodyguard of Lee? Does he even know what he did was a crime? Maybe he has received one too many hits on the head as an MMA fighter.

Let's do a head count of this nefarious group. Lee and Raz are now in custody. Calma has cowardly left the country. Bernice Lee's location is known, leaving Deniece Cornejo, Ferdinand Guerrero, and Jed Fernandez at large. According to DOJ Sec. Leile de Lima, two have signified their intention to turn state witness and spill the beans on "Oplan Bugbog". Ferdinand Guerrero tried to leave the country but was prevented from doing so at the airport. He even threatened to sue immigration authorities over his failed attempt to leave. I doubt that would get him in the good graces of the Justice Secretary. That leaves Cornejo and Fernandez. I don't think Deniece Cornejo should even be considered a state witness, being the supposed victim and even sticking to the story without end. That leaves Fernandez. I just hope the DOJ chooses wisely. Not everyone can be a state witness. Not everyone should get off the hook.

The case can now progress with the alleged mastermind and ring leader of this gang in custody. The wheels of justice can now, and they should, start rolling. As for those still in hiding, I hope they too get a taste of handcuffs real soon. After all their posturing, bravado and faux heroism with regards to the "rape" of Deniece Cornejo, they now find themselves being the butt of all jokes, the object of ridicule and humiliation, not to mention the possibility of prison time.

Oh how fortunes fall. Thank goodness.