UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
Dr. Raymund W. Lo
It took 40 days before Dr. Naty Castro, who was illegally arrested for kidnapping, was freed by Judge Fernando Fudalan Jr. He cited the PNP actions on her as “repugnant,” a very strong denunciation of how the legal system has been co-opted and weaponized against innocent people. Lack of evidence didn’t deter the PNP from filing charges, nor was there any effort at all to satisfy the basic elements of a legal case. No subpoena was issued, nor was a preliminary investigation conducted to ascertain if she was even the person cited in the arrest warrant. Instead, she was dragged off to the Agusan del Sur provincial jail, where she was detained for 40 days.
Forty days is a long time to be imprisoned without reason, but Dr. Castro can consider herself luckier than those who have been in detention for far longer periods, some even for years. These detainees were also subjected to harassment and intimidation before being arrested on essentially trumped-up charges similar to Doc Naty’s. Unfortunately for them, they were arraigned before judges who either could not muster the moral courage to dismiss the charges or were under duress politically.
The sad thing is, these detainees were only trying to alleviate the sufferings of fellow Filipinos in the hinterlands, only to be red-tagged and arrested. It speaks of an order hell-bent on self-aggrandizement and privilege at the expense of the vast majority. But as history shows, only with the upliftment of the majority of its population can a country be called progressive.
Non-political prisoners (euphemistically termed “persons deprived of liberty,” or PDL) suffer the same fate, languishing in hugely overcrowded jails for months or years (see my previous column, Of Petty Crimes and Grand Larcenies, Feb. 8, 2022). Again, these are the poor who could not afford bail money, while the rich and (in)famous go scot-free.
These rich and (in)famous perpetuate this system that victimizes the lower socioeconomic classes by a never-ending cycle of poverty, ignorance, and mendicancy; by exploiting traditional Filipino values of utang-ng-loob and subservience to authority brought about by vote-buying and intimidation during elections. Poverty fosters malnutrition, which impairs brain development, thus producing poor capacity to process concepts and ideas. This in turn prevents critical thinking and leads to herd mentality. Poor intellectual development will also lead to poor educational performance, preventing access to better-paying jobs. The result is an inability to rise above their present low socioeconomic condition. The cycle is complete.
Thus, we are trapped in a vicious cycle, which we need to break free of. This election offers a once in a lifetime chance. We must get rid of political dynasties, traditional politics and patronage, and the entrenched political and economical elites by voting for a candidate who has none of this loaded baggage, besides of course the other prerequisites for effective leadership.
What are these leadership qualities we are looking for? First is competence, which is borne out of a proper academic background, proven by on-the-ground national experience in the three areas: executive, legislative, and judicial. Another non-negotiable is integrity. Public service records must be unblemished by scandals and corruption and ranked high by independent audits. A co-equal third quality is empathy for the masses, which the candidate must have already proven by working for the welfare of the poor and displaced. All of which means showing up and actually working, not just being eye candy.
Now, apply these criteria to the candidates for president and vice president, since the executive branch is the most powerful among the three arms. It will determine the course of the country for the next six years and most probably in the foreseeable future. Such is the crucial period we are in, with its many challenges: Covid-19 pandemic, climate change with increasingly powerful typhoons, China’s encroachment on our territory, rampant corruption, rising poverty, an economy in retreat, and yes, a decadent and sclerotic bureaucracy unresponsive to the people’s needs.
Coincidentally, it is 40 days until the election. It is a short 40 days that will shape our country for better or for worse. Let’s make it better.
You be the judge, and on May 9th, choose wisely. For the sake of your children, grandchildren, and future generations, who deserve a rosy future.