A triple whammy for justice

Together with the other contemporaneous Court of Appeals rulings unrealistically preventing the taking of deposition of human trafficking victim Mary Jane Veloso and the wholesale rejection of the human rights victims’ claim against the estate of kleptocrat Marcos, the decision to let gloating ex-Palawan governor Joel Reyes “miraculously” get off the hook for the killing of antimining advocate and journalist Gerry Ortega demonstrates a triple whammy to those who still resort to our justice system for remedies.

Yet the indignation we rightfully express must also be consistent and not selective. We
cannot cry for one and not for the others. Protestations over perceived travesties of justice cannot be partisan nor defined by those in power. Justice for one must be justice for all. Silence or tolerance of injustice for others erodes credibility and integrity, and even exposes hypocrisy.

EDRE U. OLALIA, president,  National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers,