NAAWAN, Misamis Oriental (MindaNews / 28 September) — On September 23, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) recommended the filing of criminal charges against Senators Jinggoy Estrada, Joel Villanueva, Rep. Zaldy Co, former Rep. Mitch Cajayon, DPWH former Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, and sacked Bulacan first district engineer Henry Alcantara, in connection with alleged billions of pesos kickback in the implementation of flood control projects. But to date, it appears that the charges have not been filed. Apparently, the prosecutors are still in the process of building up the case and are taking their time.
Indeed, our justice system is weak and sluggish if top guns are involved, even if suspected of pocketing a revoltingly huge sum of people’s money. Moreover, the system is biased against the poor. If a poor guy is reported to the authorities to have stolen some groceries in a mall, a law enforcer materializes in the spot, confiscates and returns at once the stolen item from where it was taken, arrests the suspect, and have him incarcerated while he is formally charged, and is only released upon acquittal by the court.
Public prosecutors appear to take time in charging in court rich people or those in power, much more if they are top government officials like Estrada and Villanueva. Once finally charged, they will be assisted by a battery of lawyers, bailed, and will not experience a second in jail during the duration of their trial. And trying them will take eternity, and their money and influence could even determine the outcome.
The issue then is not only that justice delayed is justice denied, but that justice is delayed by and could be denied by those in power and influence. (MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. William R. Adan, Ph.D., is retired professor and former chancellor of Mindanao State University at Naawan, Misamis Oriental.)