Different rules for the rich and the poor

The editorial “Whimsical war” (11/23/2021), on the whimsical and arbitrary “war on drugs,” again exposed the ugly truth that those who have less in life cannot expect to have more in law. The legal system seems to have different rules for the rich and the poor. Thus, while a poor man may go to jail for stealing a can of corned beef to silence the grumbling of his guts, the moneyed and the notorious remain scot-free for robbing blind this country and its children.

Philippine society is perennially challenged to build a more just and humane society where every person’s dignity and human rights are respected and protected, regardless of their economic status in life. There ought to be a place for the virtue of mercy within the legal system for those deprived of their economic rights. Social justice demands that we address the root causes of injustice, which invariably afflicts the poor more.

NOEL ASIONES
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