Destruction of papers vs Junjun a ‘real’ possibility

STEPHEN L. MONSANTO’S

“Decency drowned out by legal technicalities” (Opinion, 3/23/15) put matters in good perspective. Truly all this debate on whether or not the Court of Appeals’ temporary restraining order on the suspension of Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr. was effective is not very helpful when one takes into serious account the more important question of the day: How to preserve the integrity of documentary evidence supposedly proving the manner by which the Binay dynasty has been ripping off the residents of Makati City?

The apprehension that the Binays may be going full throttle in ridding City Hall vaults and filing cabinets of inculpatory documents and papers is more real than imagined. How else can anyone explain their “kapit-tuko” hold on the seat of power? With no less than the Binay patriarch (Vice President Jejomar Binay) honchoing another “Rambotito” scenario and beating his chest about a possibly bloody “misencounter,” is there ever any doubt they are up to no good? Normal public officials with absolutely nothing to hide have no problem yielding their posts to whomsoever the law puts in their stead either temporarily or permanently.

The Court of Appeals’ TRO and the Supreme Court’s own dithering on whether or not that TRO should be put on hold (so that official records and files can be immediately preserved and safeguarded) do not bode well for the successful prosecution of the corruption cases against the Binays. The bet is, as usual, it will take months before that TRO incident can be resolved. Our justice system seems to be more assiduous in protecting the “tenure” of public officials than in making them accountable.

Thus, with so much time on their hands to “sanitize” the records, shred papers and documents or incinerate entire files that may potentially incriminate or damage them one way or the other, the Binays can now rest assured that all the Ombudsman’s prosecutors can proffer as evidence against them in the Sandiganbayan are antilittering citations—all thanks to the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court! What a bummer!

—DINO M. CAPISTRANO, [email protected]