Whistle-blowers face tougher battles

What has dimmed our sight as a people, and for so long?

Whistle-blowers and star witnesses in corruption and criminal cases are the real heroes in our midst. We don’t recognize them as such when they step forward in courage to put their life, family, reputation and future on the line just to tell the whole nation the truth they know about certain crimes and acts of corruption from which doing they have nothing to gain for themselves except all sorts of inconveniences, sacrifices and danger to their very lives.

It is too bad that the government has not been providing them enough support and protection to pursue their heroic exploits to a just and honorable conclusion in order for the truth to triumph and in due time bless the entire country with peace, justice and uprightness, paving the way with lightened clear lanes to take towards achieving every Filipino’s dream of a good life.

But I wonder less why both chambers of Congress cannot pass a law to treat whistle-blowers and star witnesses as the government should in terms of ample protection and full support because some legislators themselves may probably have something sinister to hide and they dread the light when it’s their turn under its rays to reckon with their own nakedness.

However, the good ones in their ranks should be bold enough to stand and take it upon themselves in the next legislative agenda to tackle the matter with dispatch. They cannot say no to the importuning voice within for the call is exclusively for them. Otherwise, President Aquino’s “Daang Matuwid” would be nothing more than an empty gong and a clanging cymbal.

Worse and oddly, under a corrupt justice system that we have which machinery has people who are supposed to dispense justice but have instead their personal and “partisan” interests foremost in their weighing scales to commit some acts that are possible to prosper only in dark places. Hence justice is oftentimes derailed and perverted only to shock heaven that in the end it is the heroes who are adjudged villains. Alas, Jun Lozada landed in jail. Others suffer in humiliation and “quiet” devastated life while some of these modern-day heroes are in exile and many are in anguish six feet below the ground and they continue to groan to this day.

But whatever happens to the heroes and justice in our society, these gallant souls have already their bust sculptured in my heart for they are true heroes in the mold of those who bravely fought for our liberty from invading enemies outside. The difference though is that whistle blowers and star witnesses have tougher battles to engage with: To liberate all of us from invading enemies inside.

--Reni Valenzuela