Extradition

So far, we are seeing the United States of America warming up to President Bongbong Marcos, extending all the courtesies and what-have-you in diplomacy.

It's understandable, given also the fact that our President has been in a very conciliatory and magnanimous disposition, not just to Uncle Sam, but to the rest of the International community.

It is but necessary for PBBM to be very diplomatic and cordial to everyone around, as he needs it to neutralize the political baggage of his family name. He needs to embrace even conflicting ideals, to solidify internationally the overwhelming mandate he got locally.

True to form, Uncle Sam knows this very well and has been parlaying this goodwill to ingratiate itself with the Filipino people.

But wait a minute.

Perhaps as a compliment to the diplomatic overtures of economic and military reinforcement, one other gesture the State Department can accord the Philippines is to extradite the felon Dean Edward Cheves, the former US Embassy officer who has admitted his guilt before a federal court the charges of illicit sexual relations with minors while stationed here in Manila.

The expat is due to be sentenced this coming January in a Virginia Federal Court, for the crimes he committed while being an embassy officer from 2017 to 2021.

Solicitor-General Menardo Guevarra, the former DoJ Secretary, said the government should pursue the extradition of Cheves as he "is accountable not only under US laws but more so under the laws of the Philippines where he committed these horrible crimes."

And we laud current DoJ Secretary Boying Remulla for stating that his department is now working with its US counterpart for the extradition process.

Considering how America has been all out in appeasing our country, it would be most ideal for Uncle Sam to give us the justice we deserve in this case of Cheves.

As aptly stated by SolGen Guevarra, "Justice will be fully served if Cheves is also tried and punished in our country where he committed those horrible crimes."

Mark my word.