‘What else is new in our rotten justice system?’

The editorial, “Jinggoy, running man” (4/14/18), noted upfront: “In the wake of the revelation that Jinggoy Estrada may have falsified his reasons for seeking permission from the Sandiganbayan to travel to the United States later this month, the court where the former senator is on trial for plunder has said … nothing.”

The principal reason the former senator pleaded for permission to take his family abroad for a very expensive junket turned out to be contrived and utterly false. The justices of that antigraft court didn’t seem bothered that he has pulled the wool over their eyes.

But what else is new in our rotten justice system? No less than the justices of the Supreme Court have played dumb and blind to the obvious manipulation and deception perpetrated by former senator Juan Ponce Enrile and former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Ordinary people would have been severely castigated for any such veiled attempt to appeal to “humanitarian considerations” or emotions.

Enrile regained his freedom from detention on a plunder charge where he is accused of having pocketed P172 million of public funds.

The Supreme Court took pity on him, being virtually portrayed as a dead man walking through all kinds of debilitating illnesses aggravated by his insalubrious detention.

Arroyo regained her freedom from hospital arrest on a plunder charge where she was accused of having siphoned off P366 million from public funds for her personal benefit.

The Supreme Court apparently also took pity on her, being pictured always with a neck brace to keep her head in place.

Before the ink in the Supreme Court’s orders for their immediate release could dry up, Enrile and Arroyo miraculously transformed themselves into persons 20 years younger and in perfect health!

Enrile got his graying hair dyed and Arroyo got rid of her neck brace. And what did the Supreme Court say about the charade that they played out to the hilt? Absolutely nothing.

Indeed, need anything more be said?

SCARLET S. SYTANGCO, [email protected]