Crime and punishment; George Ty, tycoon and philanthropist dies

Although I use Dostoevski’s Crime and Punishment, for the column’s title it is not the theme that Dostoevski writes about. He treats the problem of crime and the criminal mentality not the social aspects of criminal behavior. Our main concern is a better justice system to punish crime.

The accused in Dostoevski’s Crime and Punishment will fight and may escape legal punishment for crime but they will not escape the torture in their own minds. This is a crime that should have been tried a long time ago. In my daughter’s documentary Veronica Pedrosa in Al Jazeera’s Imelda and Me makes a connection between the unpunished crimes of the Marcos regime and the Ampatuans. It promotes impunity. But wherever the revival of the cases will lead to in our flawed justice system, at least the cases are being revived and speaks well of the Duterte administration. To Dostoevski crime and its inevitable punishment are deeply rooted aspects of the human spirit. That may be happening to the Ampatuans as well.

It was a daring crime. The gruesome massacre of 58 people in Maguindanao, most of them journalists, was to defy the law and escape punishment by using subterfuges that our justice system provides. The families of the victims are hopeful that it will be different this time. The alleged brains behind the massacre will be punished. It is believed that the delay was made possible because the accused Ampatuans command the votes in the region.

Acting Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon said the multiple murder cases against Andal “Datu Unsay” Ampatuan Jr. and other accused have been submitted for resolution. This is happening in the Duterte administration.

One way to obstruct prosecution is to bribe witnesses into retracting their earlier testimonies.

Harry Roque from the Palace said prosecutors remain optimistic about the case despite alleged efforts to weaken it.

“I have noted that apparently there are some witnesses against Junior, Andal (Ampatuan) Jr. who have retracted their testimonies but I have been assured by the panel of prosecutors that so far despite the retraction, the case against Unsay remains strong,” he said.

Roque said the president wants prosecutors to secure a conviction within the year.

“That is the marching orders of the president to the prosecution panel and that’s why I think the meeting is pursuant to the marching order of the president,” he added.

Fifty-eight people, including 32 journalists were accompanying then Buluan Vice Mayor Esmael Mangu-dadatu to file his certificate of candidacy. They never reached the scene. Instead they were abducted and killed by armed men in Ampatuan town.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared martial law in Maguindanao after the crime. The Department of Justice is waiting for the setting of the promulgation of the case where the court would decide whether to convict or acquit Ampatuan.

After the long lag when no action was being taken, the families of the victims are hopeful this time it would be different and they welcomed it “with renewed vigor and relief.”

“We have full confidence that the evidence presented is enough to prove Datu Unsay’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt, and we await the verdict with cautious hope,” they said in a statement released to media.

“The impending decision will undoubtedly go down in Philippine history as one of the most significant legal decisions to ever come from our trial courts regardless of the outcome,” they added.

Why did it take so long to resolve the case? “We’re not surprised that the wheels of justice in this country grind so slow. Many cases take so long, but what is important to us is justice will prevail. Rule of law will have to be observed regardless of the persons involved in any particular case,” presidential legal adviser Sal Panelo said in a press briefing.

“The DOJ is the one responsible for prosecuting the case and it is its level best to speed up the prosecution of the case,” he added.

I received the news of George Ty’s death just a few hours after he succumbed at the St. Luke’s Hospital surrounded by his loved ones. He was a family friend of my in-laws, the Pedrosas, so the announcement was personal to me. I had written a column before about him when he was given the MVP Bossing Award. George was loyal to his friends and benefactors. He never forgot how my father in law, Finance secretary and banker Don Pio Pedrosa had encouraged him to open his own bank. He was 86, almost the same age as my late husband Ambassador Alberto Pedrosa if he had lived as long. They were contemporaries and close friends.

I think George Ty was aware that it will not be long when he called the top men of Metrobank and outlined the legacy he would like to leave. That was when Yolanda hit Tacloban. He called me to say that he would create a circle around the house and it would be called the Pio Pedrosa Circle. He built a large branch of Metrobank on the spot in front of the church.

There will be many articles on how successfully he expanded Metrobank after it was established in 1962 and transformed it into a diverse business conglomerate. The Metrobank Group counts as its members 18 domestic subsidiaries, partners and affiliates in various industries and 32 foreign branches, subsidiaries and representative offices. Less will be said about his contribution through million-peso awards to different sectors necessary for nation-building.

Called the Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos, it recently announced the awardees for this year. As a career-service award for Filipino exemplars in the academe, military, and police sectors – 10 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos were presented, consisting of four teachers, three soldiers, and three police officers to the members of the media. Each awardee will receive a cash prize of P1 million each (net of tax), a gold medallion and a trophy.

Memorial services for Ty will begin today at the Heritage Park in Taguig City.

Metrobank said that in lieu of flowers, donations to the Philippine National Red Cross, CBCP Caritas Filipinas Foundation and Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation will honor his spirit of generosity.