gUiLty bEYonD rEAsoNAblE dOUbt...

Next step is for them to go to the Supreme Court.

I am happy that the case has finally ended and the fight for truth has finally won. The trial of Estrada, from the Impeachment up to the Plunder Case at the Sandigan caused so much division in our country. Now that it is finally over, we can start the process of reconciliation, and for me, now is the right time to call for this. Justice has finally been served, now we can talk about Charity.

So much about the Erap case.

My interest is now again focused on the search for truth. The 2004 election controversy stills hang over our head, an issue that has not yet put to rest. Maybe to us who believes that the controversy merits an investigation, it is not yet over. But for most of you who thinks otherwise, this case should be put to rest. But I beg to disagree, and hope you hear me out.

Why did we push for the case against Estrada? Isn’t it because of our search for the truth? Is the case of cheating in an election not as horrible as plunder? Or it is simply because we are part of those who went to EDSA to oust a plunderer and to put into office someone who will be later accused of cheating?

Many questions that I think will remain unanswered not until we stop having double standard in dealing with people accused of committing crimes against us. If we continue to look the other way around every time someone respectable or people we trust were accused of committing something horrible, we will always fall prey to these kinds of vultures.

They can get away with crime easily because we let them. Estrada supporters now whine that “it is not only Erap who committed a crime in the Government, why is he the only one being punished?” Correct! You, have you not wondered why? Is Estrada’s case different from the case being hurled against Gloria? Maybe yes because the other is Plunder and the later Cheating. But what is the difference? For me both are crimes punishable in Philippine Laws!

You will say that Estrada’s case is different because there are proofs! Why? Is the proof of cheating in the last 2004 not overwhelming? In Mindanao after the election of 2004 the Garci tape came out - thanks to Secretary Bunyi – and many witnesses came out to testify that indeed there was cheating that took place in their area. But what happened to them? There was a story about an Election Officer who came out and made a statement alleging that there was cheating, later backed out because some of her family members were taken by armed men believed to be military. That event was part of the Garci recording, conversation was recorded about the abduction and Garci even saying, “Oo, hawak na namin.” It all points to cheating and the efforts of those who committed it to cover it up. It is all there. But alas, we did not believe, we rather believe a self confessed jueteng lord than ordinary citizens who just want the truth to come out.

I am really saddened by what happened, sad not because Erap was found guilty, I am sad because we use different scale in weighing faults committed by our Public Officials. If you are a womanizer and a gambler we use the state of the art and top of the line weighing apparatus. But if you are a Harvard graduate and member of an affluent family, we will use the takal-takal system. Sana ang ginamit kay Gloria yung dankal system, sigurado mapatutunayan na nag-kulang siya. Sayang, di bale, after the 2010 election na lang bumawi. As I have said before, hindi lahat ng araw ay Linggo!