Inscribed on the facade of the iconic New York County Courthouse (also known as the New York State Supreme Court building) at 60 Centre Street in Lower Manhattan in New York City are the words: “The true administration of justice is the firmest pillar of good government.”
These words, which were written by George Washington to United States Attorney General Edmund Randolph on 28 September 1789, ring true especially in the context of what the Philippines is going through today. [Note: in the letter, Washington actually used the word “due” instead of “true.]”
As our country navigates through the most massive corruption scandal in the history of our government post-EDSA revolution, our judicial system will be challenged and tested. The entire judicial system will itself be brought to trial where the Filipino people will stand as prosecutor, judge, and jury.
Thus, the Independent Commission for Infrastructure, the Department of Justice, the Office of the Ombudsman, and the Sandiganbayan should be mindful of the clamor of the people to hold to account all those responsible for this unconscionable plunder of our coffers.
How many times has this country faced corruption scandals in government? How many have been brought to trial and actually convicted to serve time in the penitentiary? Too many to count? It is precisely this impunity and complacency that justice can be bought for the right price that has emboldened the corrupt officials to help themselves to our hard-earned taxpayer money. All those in government should take to heart and be duly warned: Don’t do the crime, if you don’t want to do the time.
The very fabric of our society has been slowly eroded by the degradation of its values, principles, and integrity. Votes sold to the highest bidder. The poor even poorer with dole outs. We should all be ashamed if ours is a country where the hungry who stole food languish in jail, while those greedy plunderers of our nation’s wealth get away scot-free. For our own sakes, it should not be too much to ask that true, swift and unapologetic justice be the standard and not just an exception.
It is in this spirit that the Supreme Court must deliver on its mandate as the ultimate arbiter and protector of the best interests of the Filipino people and the Constitution, as the last bastion of hope for the country.
The investigations are still ongoing. One of the (if not the most) perceived guilty and culpable is at large and out of the country. Meanwhile, we have not seen the kind of effort exerted to locate and bring back Alice Guo being done to bring back Zaldy Co to face the accusations against him. Where is the Interpol now that we need its help? Where is all that gusto shown by the Marcos administration when it said it had no choice but to turn over PRRD to the ICC due to our commitments to Interpol.
The Marcos administration cannot now hide behind excuses, red tape or tedious processes since they have already once so aptly demonstrated how far reaching the “long arm” of the law actually is.
The Filipino people and the rest of the world are watching.
The Marcos administration is on notice lest the rendition of former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte to the International Criminal Court at The Hague becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy of a non-functioning judicial system in the country.