To jail, no bail
Plunder—the word, the crime—rhymes with thunder. Massive, roaring, shaking the ground on which we stand. Shattering like the lightning strikes that go with it. Plunder is so destructive like the series of earthquakes that has been hitting our islands almost daily in the past weeks, even while we implore the heavens for no more of them in the coming days. But we are told, it is not a matter of if but of when.
Under Philippine law (Republic Act No. 7080, Anti-Plunder Act), plunder is committed when a public officer amasses at least P50 million in ill-gotten wealth. That’s peanuts nowadays. The persons of interest under investigation have looted in the billions. They face life imprisonment, perpetual disqualification from public office, and forfeiture of ill-gotten wealth. Private persons who participate in a public official’s plunderous acts can themselves be punished for the crime. Ill-gotten wealth is defined as “wealth amassed, accumulated, or acquired through illegal means.”
Once again, it is as if we are in a review class. Déjà vu. One can either turn cynical or engage in something short of criminal just to vent anger. But hope returns because of renewed interest in cases that seemed to have been “buried in oblivion”—to use the words of the new Ombudsman—and, more importantly, their revival. I associate the word revivalism with spiritual and cult-like movements that stoke back to life the fervor of their followers. But revivalism to bring back honesty, transparency, and integrity in the criminal justice system—why not? One thing’s for sure, there is no need to revive the public’s outrage.
Speaking of revival, the Inquirer’s headline and banner story two days ago was, “Plunder raps vs Du30 and Go over infra deals revived.” The kicker: “Back with a complaint earlier dismissed by the previous Ombudsman, former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV alleges that ex-President Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Bong Go conspired to award nearly P7 billion in projects to two firms owned by Go’s relatives.” SenTri at work.
And last week, it was “recall and review”—which also mean revival—of the anomalous multibillion-peso Pharmally case during the COVID-19 pandemic under the watch of Duterte, who is now in the Scheveningen Prison of the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands. “Mang Kanor,” as he is fondly called by trying-hard boneheads, is awaiting trial for crimes against humanity.
While I was writing this piece, news broke that a fire hit an office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Quezon City. No incriminating documents went up in flames, the public has been assured. Still, we cannot help being suspicious.
Man of the hour, DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon, announced in a press conference that cases have been filed against persons involved in overpriced, substandard, and ghost infrastructure projects, they who had filled their pockets with the people’s money. Dizon read the initial list that includes private individuals and officials in the bureaucracy. No errant elected officials have been charged as yet, they who have been in connivance with the contractors. If or when?
The charges: violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, malversation through falsification of public documents, and violation of the Government Procurement Act. Dizon emphasized that the charges are nonbailable (because the P50 million ceiling has been breached) and the penalty is life imprisonment. Nonbailable and life imprisonment, he kept repeating.
Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla has given a tour of the detention facility where the accused would be held while on trial, there to himas himas the malamig na rehas. Used as a quarantine facility during the pandemic, the place could now serve as a showcase of justice at work. Never mind that it might be standing in the vicinity of the earthquake fault that could trigger the dreaded Big One, not if but when the earth breaks open and holds us in its maw.
Masampolan is the Pinoy wish for at least a few lawmakers to languish in jail—for starters—who had snatched away the food of the poor and drowned them in floodwaters. Incidentally, Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David revealed that persons under investigation have come to seek his advice. David has spoken strongly against their greed. My own admonition: “Admit your guilt, return all—all to the last centavo—that is not yours, suffer the punishment that you deserve and make reparations. The best lawyers in the world cannot save you. But you are not beyond redemption. Go and sin no more.”
Under my breath: “We are so sick and tired, we just want to hang you all, or line you up against the wall. So, to jail, no bail. Reclusion perpetua awaits you. You won’t be back.”
We look forward to watching with sheer delight the Independent Commission on Infrastructure’s live streaming of its investigation.
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