Closure and justice

Justice is really slow and elusive in the Philippines. A year has passed and two incidents that occurred in 2013 still need some form of progress in terms of justice. The Atimonan Massacre, as opposed to a shootout, has escaped the eyes of media for some time. The last we heard were the findings of the NBI to confirm that a rubout, or execution took place and not an exchange of gunfire. Evidence was tampered to make it look like the passengers of the two vehicles stopped at a checkpoint in Quezon province shot it out with the authorities, prompting the latter to return fire. Of course, it has already been pointed out that it did not happen that way, and the probable reason for the execution was a rivalry or turf war on illegal activities. The fact is, nothing has happened by way of the courts. We may be surprised one day to hear that one of the officers accused even gets a promotion. Not uncommon in the Philippines.

Another incident was the grounding of an American Naval minesweeper on Tubbataha Reef. The ship itself could no longer be moved to extricate itself from the national preserve, so it was dismantled on site. A fine was imposed on the US Navy, but to this date that fine has never been paid. Why is that?

Of course, the most gruesome crime of the century where fifty-eight civilians, most of them journalists and members of a political clan were murdered in cold blood and buried in shallow graves, including their vehicles, still hasn't progressed significantly for four years running. My concern is that the accused may be quietly "fixing the case" for a dismissal. We may one day be surprised to learn that they can go scot-free, which is just unthinkable. All the evidence they could gather are already with the courts, so why is it taking too long? I mean, four years running?

This is probably why crime syndicates have started to set up shop in the country. The discovery of a drug warehouse in Batangas with possible ties to a powerful Mexican drug cartel is unsettling. Are we going to see the kind of crimes committed in Mexico once they have a strong foothold in the country? The kidnappings and executions left and right? Is this the only crime syndicate operating in the country? If they are not afraid to come here because of corruption, the inadequate law enforcement and weak justice system, then what is to stop them from ruining the country?

A society needs a strong justice system to keep it in order. Without that, you would have anarchy and chaos, and the ones who suffer the most are those who abide by the law. We need to show criminals that they cannot get away with crime in this country. Everyone was hoping the Aquino administration would speed things up in this department, but they have only met with disappointment. Many hope that in the remaining years of President Aquino's term, cases like the ones mentioned above already achieve closure, and more importantly, justice for the families of the victims.

Including Tubbataha Reef.