“It is not the severity of punishments that deter crimes but certainty.”
~Commander Shepard, Mass Effect
Here’s a quote worthy of some contemplation. The local media grinds
out show after show on TV, sponsored by greedy corporations and starred
and promoted by narcissistic celebrities who probably don’t even know
half of what they’re talking about, but few of them have characters that
have ever dropped a line that is as wise and as practical as the one
mentioned above. Of course, it’s probably beyond the point of what I
want to say here but I just couldn’t help myself.
Now, going back to the statement above. In light of the recent
events, especially that of the Fallen 44, I must ask the question: Is
there really any justice in the Philippines anymore? This has been
bothering me for quite some time now because, looking around my home
city, it seems as though the authorities figures of today are more or
less there for the sake of formality instead of being the pillars of
morality and order that they are intended to be. While my sympathies go
to those 44 brave men who lost their lives fighting terrorists and their
families, I am still more than a little bothered by the fact that there
are still large numbers of policemen who are openly corrupt or at least
negligent in their duties.
Allow me to further elaborate on what I’m trying to say here:
Dirty Cops
Look,
I’m well aware of the fact that there are dirty cops everywhere. There
never is a shortage of them in the world. Unfortunately for Filipinos,
they seem to have become an accepted part of society instead of a cause
for outrage. In Manila, I have once witnessed a policeman beating a
defenseless woman in broad daylight with little regard for who saw them.
In my own home city, policemen fine or arrest motorcyclists not wearing
helmets when they themselves travel and patrol the roads helmetless.
Some police forces turn a blind eye to criminals and criminal activities
unless the media is somehow involved.
As I said, I try to treat authority figures with some degree of
respect. They are, after all, there for the betterment of the country
and society. If they are ever judgmental or harsh, it is probably
because of the nature of their job. You cannot fool around with
dangerous criminals after all.
While corrupt cops are certainly prevalent on a global scale, one
must still consider the fact that all societies need a strong and
capable police force if it wants to get anywhere. You can’t make a good
living if thieves keep stealing your merchandise, right? I commend the
Fallen 44 for their brave actions but if the ordinary cop is just out
for himself, who can the common people turn to for help when things go
pear-shaped?
Thankfully however, with the actions of the Fallen 44, the
introduction of competent women into the Philippine police force and the
overall support for the lost policemen, I feel a bit optimistic about
the PNP. I can only hope however that my optimism will eventually prove
true in the times ahead because, based on what’s happening so far, we’re
probably going to need it. Unfortunately, I’d also like to add that I
have been wrong before and gut feelings are seldom reliable.
No One Wants to Take Responsibility
This is by far one of the worst offenses Filipinos commit against
Lady Justice. Even when proven wrong, guilty or outright immoral, some
people still continue to deny or justify their actions often with flimsy
arguments.
Of course, I still adhere to the idea that “everyone is innocent
until proven guilty”, but some people continue pushing the limits even
when they’ve been caught red-handed. It’s amazing how some people will
even resort to saying that they were framed or cheated even if their
troubles are merely consequences of their actions. In the end, no one
wants to take responsibility and just resort to the ever-reliable tactic
of playing the blame game.
As Bob Ong once said: “No one wants to be them.” When you
accuse the common thief of being a criminal, he will tell you that he
was forced by the circumstances of his life and that he is not to blame.
If any of the corrupt cops mentioned above are finally caught, they
will try to justify their actions with not being adequately by the
government. When a corrupt politician is ever discovered, he or she will
probably come up with a story about being a Robin Hood Archetype and
using their stolen funds to help people who may or may not even exist.
Even the terrorists refuse to take responsibility for their heinous
activities and claim that those terrorizing the populace are just a
radical splinter group. It just goes on and on and, in the end, nothing
is ever resolved.
I’m not asking for people to suddenly admit to the crimes they’ve
done in their lives, but I’m just hoping that we can at least instill a
sense of justice in ourselves. A true, and not superficial,
sense of what is right and what is wrong. We must learn to hold
ourselves accountable for the things we do and be prepared for the
consequences that they may entail.
People are Too Eager to Take the Law into Their own Hands
A few years back, there was the case of alleged “rape” in SBMA. There
were a large number of inconsistencies about the case such as the
number of people suspected to be involved in the incident and the
identity of the people involved. However, despite not having enough
evidence to back their claim, people claiming to be “feminists” and
against “American imperialism”, marched into the streets shouting for
the American forces stationed in SBMA to leave. It was later on
discovered that the said rape victim is now living in the United States
with some of her family members.
Then there was that road incident wherein a man beat up a policeman
in front of a CCTV camera. While yes, it was said that the cop was
thought to be quite corrupt, it was still clearly an act of violence
against a figure of authority. This does not paint a pretty image of
what justice should be about. If justice is just beating the crap out of
people who did bad things to you and others, does that mean I have the
right to go out and beat up the school bullies who used to pick on me in
school?
Of course, let’s not forget the Laude case. I will state that he does
deserve some sympathy, I would also like to point out that even though
there was little evidence of Pemberton being the real murderer, people
were already howling for his blood. While no one deserves to die, no one
deserves to be jailed unjustly either. Again, many Filipinos allowed
their emotions to get the better of them and lashed out at the visiting
US military without even considering the facts and possibilities
regarding what really happened.
For their to be true justice in the land, we must learn to hold
ourselves accountable for our own actions. We must learn to admit to our
own mistakes and fallibility and stop using lame excuses and scapegoats
to justify our stupidity and cruelty. For our nation to be united,
there must be an undivided respect for the laws of the land and an
understanding of what each entails. Like children, many of us need to
grow up and take responsibility for what they’ve done regardless whether
they are politicians, celebrities, clergy, policemen, tribesmen, or
common citizens.
As Commander Shepard said, it’s not how brutal a punishment is that
prevents people from committing crimes but the swift and unrelenting
action of law enforcement. Justice is not about power. Justice is
about responsibility.
Grimwald
Thaddeus Grimwald is an avid writer and supporter of the GRP website and writes his own fiction in his own Grow Up Philippines website.
To check out his works of fiction, you can check the following:
Hired Help.
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