A marked man

In case you’re not familiar with the word or meaning of foreboding, Google defines it as “a strong inner feeling or a sign that something bad, dangerous or evil is going to happen.”

That is exactly what many Filipinos sense in terms of where Martin Romualdez will be detained, whether he will in fact be arraigned, go to jail or will manage to get bail on a non-bailable charge and win on a technicality, etc. etc.

Sadly, all of that is possible since all of it has happened in the past and in the present. Arrest and booking avoided by medical theatrics or fake illnesses, rushed or weak submissions in court and legal death by delay. All these are cause for concern.

The question on where to hold Martin Romualdez reminds me of Cain in the Bible after he murdered his brother Abel and God confronts him in Genesis 4:10-14:

“The Lord said, What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.

“When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.

“Cain said to the Lord, ‘My punishment is more than I can bear. Today you are driving me from the land and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.’”

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In the case of Martin Romualdez, he is a marked man. His enemies want to see him suffer like a common criminal imprisoned in a dirty, congested jail. On the government side, preserving the safety of the accused is vital.

Any physical attack or untoward incident resulting in injury or death of Martin Romualdez would certainly compromise the delivery of justice as well as backfire on government. Such an incident could give his defense team grounds to confine him at the PNP custodial center or house arrest like Erap and Arroyo.

Whether there are many men in jail who hate him enough to kill him or are lining up to collect protection money, in and out of jail, Martin Romualdez will have to watch his back and open his pockets.

Money, of course, would be of no consequence for Romualdez unless his accounts have all been frozen. What is more likely is that he could experience having new counsel several times as the legal battle gets uglier and more unpopular.

If and when Romualdez is convicted and lands in a proper penitentiary, he will learn the irony behind the phrase “crime does not pay” because even in prison you need to buy your way to personal safety and comfort.

Based on the accounts of ex-cons and their families, life in prison is no different from life on the streets – money talks, buys protection and whatever creature comforts your finances can afford.

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But what hangs heavy and foreboding for me are the words of Martin Romualdez who declared: “When the legal process is being used against me as a political demolition job, then I will have no choice but to defend myself, and I will defend myself fully.

“I will not allow myself to be turned into the scapegoat so that others who are actually accountable can walk away clean. If this is a political play to push me out and close the story, tarnishing my name and my reputation, then I am telling everyone now – I will not go quietly, and I will not go alone.

“I will not be the fall guy for other people’s corruption. I have been in public life long enough, I have seen enough, I have heard enough. I know many things about this current administration and past administrations as well.”