Having never lost a criminal and civil case in four decades of active law practice, world renowned lawyer Gerry Spence (1929 – ) knew the sad, odd reality about law and justice. Atty. Spence made a swipe at crooked, inane people in the government.
He quipped, “The function of the law is not to provide justice or to preserve freedom, but to keep those who hold power, in power.” Self-serving, cuckoo politics. Crazy “political dynasty” — damn it! Your use of pure Tagalog in answering questions during the press conference you called last August 7 is admirable.
However, when the interview came to the issue of the International Criminal Court (ICC), I got so saddened. Apology, Mr. Chiz Escudero, if I had developed some revolting feelings at that time, while listening to you, for a reason that it was not justice or wisdom that I saw in your answers.
Appalling. And, alas, you are now the head of the Senate of our Republic. You are seeing just the “legality” of the issue and you seem to have forgotten the issue in the issue altogether — the heart and justice for the many thousands of victims (and would be victims) of sanctioned killings — the reason why the matter of ICC is “not simple” and “complex” as you said.
Who is the lawyer who transferred that kind of “legal” reasoning to you? No wonder. Or, who was the friend who pleaded with the good lawyer senator? Just in May, you also said that the pronouncement of the Department of Justice regarding its beautiful changing stand on the ICC is not right. Further you added, “it doesn’t help to alleviate the tension that is going on between the Marcoses and Dutertes.
” Terrible, awful. You made the issue personal — it suddenly shrank. What cave/dungeon has the midget giant squeezed in now? Another obnoxious thing was that Sen.
Sonny Angara has seconded your logic by saying, “Enough! Focus on Philippine interests rather than just more personal interests.” Huh? What? Did you know what you said, Sen. Angara? It is one of the issues (of all issues) that has to be addressed and at once resolved by each and everyone of you, officials in the government, so that the nation can move forward? What is the issue to you, sir — the signatures on the proposed bloated 2025 national budget, the Senate passage of the anomalous pork barrel and intel/confidential funds, and the continued reigning over the Filipino people by a few, handful power-hungry clans, until the end of the world? Oh, what indeed is happening to our country with the kind brains and views of our leaders such as you have? One plus one equals two.
I am sorry again. That is just how simple is the “controversy” here — if we would sum it up. He he.
. You are confused because you apparently have a twisted outlook as to what is important, urgent and needful, with due respect, dear legislator that I used to admire. Realize that the focus should not be on the ICC but on rendering justice and heart to the victims (dead and living) and on exposing further the darkness that encompassed and encompasses the bloody “drug war,” both past and present.
What is right and proper now? Do you want change for the future or do you intend to maintain the crooked, hellish path, forever and ever? Stand up — for justice. “Don’t judge unjustly. Be fair to the poor and dread not the rich.
Render judgment based on righteousness and truth.” – Leviticus 19:15 Which is higher or supreme to you, Mr. Senate President? Justice or the loopholes of the “law.
” And what change do you think that President BBM’s “Bagong Pilipinas” wants to achieve” — apart from the change that will usher in the rule and reign of justice in our land? Look at the criminals. Do they have regard for laws? They brazenly ignore and subvert the law just to give way to their misdeeds and crimes. So why the need for the government to lay aside sanity, righteousness and justice — because of the law or “law” that are nothing but a piece of garbage to the contrabands and hoodlums? Is this not the kind of mindset or arguments or “lawful” reasoning of the many of the so-called “legal minds” (alas!) that are collectively the root and chief cause why foolishness, madness and rottenness abound in our society, far more than justice and progress, if there is any justice and progress we have as a people and country, for the longest time? There are too many culprits and evil people, especially among the moneyed, the powerful and influential who are absolved (in courts and “surveys,” and “elections”) of their crimes and wickedness, happily and wildly going scot-free still — as many as the punished, groaning and languishing innocents, and the poor and mere cohorts of the masterminds or main players of the savagery and atrocities.
Crimes against humanity indeed, and clearly. Call it “law,” but not justice. [email protected].
