Like vaccine research, the International Criminal Court proceedings are based on evidence and open to international scrutiny. It brings to light the sufferings inflicted by the cruel perversions of political power, attested to, at the cost of often heroic courage, by the severely disadvantaged. The wheels of justice do grind exceedingly slow, but the day of reckoning does come and Lady Justice writes on the wall, and is in no hurry, for redress is accomplished without calendar.
Secretary Harry Roque has his work cut out for him, for the usual obfuscations could backfire as the world looks on. In the interest of transparency and accountability, a leader worth his salt would take this on the chin and welcome any investigation.
The specter of terrorism is a frequent justification of authoritarian governments, but this has not exempted them from blame, thanks to those implementing their directives. Joseph Conrad does not mince words: “Everybody’s worried about terrorism. Well, there’s really an easy way. Stop participating in it. Terrorists and policemen come from the same basket.” Daily news would bear out that this is not an exaggeration. The administration’s ultimate defense is that it is doing its best, that the system of justice is in working order, that there’s no need for outsiders to look in. However, as Churchill said, doing its best is not good enough. Sometimes we have to do what is required.
VIRGNIA CALPOTURA, RSCJ
strvirginia@yahoo.com.ph