From the Golden Era — that is, where prices of commodities have been increasing like the value of gold — the attention of the Filipinos has been diverted to the arrest of Juanito Jose Remulla III, the son of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla, for importation and illegal possession of marijuana. Opinions have been increasing on the special treatment of Juanito and the public have been mounting calls for the Justice Secretary to resign.
But, is there really a special treatment? And, should the Secretary resign?
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has been quick to dispel notions of special treatment. PDEA Spokesperson, Derrick Carreon, Derrick Carreon claimed that Juanito has gone through the normal procedure that any ordinary inmate at the PDEA’s detention facility had gone through. Unfortunately, there are two things that Juanito did not undergo: His arrest was not published nor shared to the media until after two days, and that his mugshots were blurred unlike the mugshots of other individuals from the lowly can of sardines thief to Philippine Senators, and even the former President of the Philippines.
On another note, should Boying Remulla resign? Decency suggests he should. One cannot execute true justice if one of his/her eyes is open. The scales of justice should also be balanced but what if one of those involved is a kin? Isn’t there a saying that “blood is thicker than water”?
Asians are known for strong blood relations. In Japan, if similar things happen like that, the government officials would automatically resign. In K-dramas, when the children commit a mistake, the parents (particularly those from the middle to lower classes) would come forward and ask for apologies saying, “I am sorry I did not teach my child properly”. Well, that is in K-dramas not in Philippine political cinema.
But, not resigning means Boying needs to stick to the spirit of the law. By doing that, PDEA and the Department of Justice needs to be transparent on the goings-on in the Juanito case, and he needs to release Senator Leila De Lima. De Lima’s case is turning weaker by the month due to the lack of solid evidence and the recantation of witnesses. Second, he should also be open to the International Criminal Court case against former President Rodrigo Duterte, and not oppose it. The 27,000 victims of extra judicial killings haven’t found justice yet. The problem is, he will be biting the hands of Duterte. Worse, the former president is building his armory for a political comeback.
Boying is now on a tight spot. Just recently, President Bongbong Marcos has issued a statement on his support. And since Boying serves at the pleasure of the president, he must therefore serve the interest of the latter. But if Boying becomes too hot to handle, Marcos will have to let him go. If this happens, he did not only lose the Congressional seat but also his coveted DOJ post.
Polevu 