ITO ANG BUKAMBIBIG NG MARAMI NATING MGA KABABAYAN: “WALA NAMANG NAKUKULONG. WALA NAMANG NAPAPARUSAHAN. WALA NAMANG NAIBABALIK NA PERA NA NINAKAW. TULOY PA RIN ANG LIGAYA.” TOTOO MAN O HINDI, ITO AY DAMDAMIN NG MARAMI NATING KABABAYAN.
MAHIGIT ISANG BUWAN NA, KITANG-KITA AT DAMANG-DAMA NATIN ANG PANANALASA NG KATIWALIAN AT PANG-AAPI. KASAMA NG MGA GHOST AT PALPAK NA FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS, TILA INANOD ANG AABOT NA TRILYONG PISONG BUDGET NA INILAAN LABAN SA MAPANIRANG BAHA.
IN A MANNER OF SPEAKING, THOSE ACCUSED NOW IN THE LARGEST CORRUPTION SCANDAL IN THE HISTORY OF THE REPUBLIC ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES BEING TRIED TODAY; THE JUDICIARY, THE OMBUDSMAN, (AND) THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, THE ENTIRE PHILIPPINE JUSTICE SYSTEM IS ALSO ON TRIAL UNDER THE COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION.
MASAKIT AT KLARONG-KLARO: LAGPAS-TAO ANG LALIM NG POOT NG TAUMBAYAN NA PATULOY NA SINASALANTA HINDI LANG NG BAHA KUNDI NG MATINDING KAWALAN NG HUSTISYA.
I RECALL, AND I MENTION IT IN ONE OF OUR HEARINGS IN THE COMMITTEE ON JUSTICE AS WE WERE HEARING A MEASURE TO TRY AND ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES OF OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM. THE SANDIGANBAYAN IN 2025 CONVICTED 2 FORMER DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE OFFICIALS OF GRAFT OVER THE ANOMALOUS PURCHASE OF 3.9 MILLION WORTH OF FERTILIZERS. A TRANSACTION DATING BACK 2004. WHEN A JUDGEMENT OF CONVICTION COMES 21 YEARS AFTER THE CORRUPTION CASE WAS FILED ONE CANNOT HELP BUT ASK: HOW DID WE STOP CORRUPTION CONVINCINGLY? HOW WAS JUSTICE SERVED THERE? IN STRENGTHENING THE RESPECT FOR THE RULE OF LAW, HOW CAN IT BE BROUGHT ABOUT BY THIS DELAY IN THE DISPOSITION OF CORRUPTION CASES.
TWO SMALL FISH CONVICTED IN A CORRUPTION CASE SPANNING 21 YEARS, WHILE BIG FISH ARE SEEN AND PERCEIVED AS UNTOUCHABLE, UNPUNISHED, ABSOLVED. IN FRUSTRATION AND IN THE CONTEXT OF OUR HEARING TODAY, ONE CANNOT HELP BUT ASK: WE ARE ALLOCATING 86 BILLION – OR AT LEAST THIS IS THE PROPOSED JUDICIARY BUDGET, WHILE COA ESTIMATES ABOUT 1.7 TRILLION IS LOST ANNUALLY TO CORRUPTION.
MATINDING KAKULANGAN O KAWALAN NG HUSTISYA ITO LABAN SA BAWAT PILIPINONG NAGBABAYAD NG BUWIS AT BAWAT PAMILYANG WASAK ANG BAHAY NA PINUNDAR NG DUGO, PAWIS, AT LUHA.
SA TOTOO LANG, SIMPLE LANG ANG KATARUNGANG HINIHINGI NG KARANIWANG MAMAMAYANG PILIPINO: MABILIS, PATAS, ABOT-KAMAY, AT HINDI TAKOT SA MGA NASA PODER O SA MALAKAS ANG KAPIT IKA NGA.
KAYA KAILANGANG GAMITIN NG HUDIKATURA ANG PONDONG PAG-UUSAPAN NATIN NGAYON PARA AYUSIN ANG SISTEMA AT MAPABILIS ANG PATAS NA HUSTISYA SA ATING BANSA.
HINDI SAPAT NA MAY NAISAMPANG MGA KASO. HINDI SAPAT NA MAY MGA INIIMBESTIGAHAN. KAILANGANG MAY NAPAPANAGOT. KAILANGANG MAY NASESENTENSYAHAN. KAILANGANG MAY HABANG BUHAY NA MAKUKULONG SA KASONG PANDARAMBONG.
INTERNALLY THE JUDICIARY MUST LIKEWISE WATCH AND POLICE ITS RANKS OF AIRING OF UNFIT OFFICIALS. THERE ARE RUMORS, UNVERIFIED REPORTS, STORIES SHARED ABOUT HOW CASES ARE ALLEGEDLY FIXED, FREEDOM ALLEGEDLY PAID FOR, AND MONEY ALLEGEDLY PASSED AROUND. WHETHER TRUE OR NOT THE JUDICIARY MUST DO IT SHARE IN ENSURING THERE IS ACCOUNTABILITY FOR WRONGDOING AMONG ITS OWN.
INAASAHAN NG TAUMBAYAN ANG MGA HUKUMAN NA KUMIKILOS NANG MABILIS AT TIYAK, MAKATARUNGAN AT WALANG KINIKILINGAN, NAAYON SA DUE PROCESS, AT HIGIT SA LAHAT, NAGPAPATUNAY NA WALANG OPISYAL, CONTRACTOR, O KAALYADONG PULITIKO ANG EXEMPTED SA BATAS.
KUNG MAY DALANG LEPTOSPIROSIS ANG BAHA, DAPAT RIN NATIN SUGPUIN ANG KLEPTOSPIROSIS NA DALA NG DEKA-DEKADANG KAHINAAN O HINDI MABILIS NA KATARUNGAN SA ATING BANSA.
SA HULI, ANG TUNAY NA SUKATAN NG HUSTISYA AY KAPAG MABILIS, PATAS, AT MAAYOS ANG SISTEMA NG KATARUNGAN NA AGAD AGAD NA PINAPAWALANG SALA ANG MGA INOSENTE AT AGAD AGAD RIN NAPAPARUSAHAN ANG MAY SALA. AT KAPAG NANGYARI NA ITO DYAN NATIN MAKIKITA ANG TUNAY NA RESPETO AT TAKOT SA LONG ARM OF THE LAW AT SA RULE OF LAW SA ATING BANSA.
AND IF I MAY STRESS, THIS REPRESENTATION DEFENDED THE JUDICIARY BUDGET LAST YEAR, IT IS AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO DO THE SAME THIS YEAR. WE ARE ONE IN WANTING OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM TO BE – IKA NGA, IF I MAY BORROW THE TERM OF FORMER CHIEF JUSTICE PUNO: “WE WANT FIRST WORLD JUSTICE, BUT WE SHOULD ALSO FIGHT FOR FIRST WORLD BUDGETS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE JUDICIARY CAN DO ITS JOB EFFECTIVELY.” ####