Here’s both good news and bad news.
In its latest decision, the Sandiganbayan has exonerated Sen.Jinggoy Estrada from the plunder case filed against him in connection with the pork barrel scam that had ensnared many in government, including two of the senator’s colleague.
The senator, who’s impliedly insinuated as the “bad one” in a political ad in the past that compared him with his half – brother and senator, JV Ejercito , was euphoric over the Sandigabayan decision. He felt vindicated. He was, after all, found innocent of the charge against him , legally speaking, beyond reasonable doubt. Sana all.
But he can’t say, for sure, that he is Mr. Clean personified. The court has found that he is not sin peccado. He may not be a plunderer as his accusers tried to show the world but he is guilty of bribery. In other words, he is a criminal or crook in another sense. There is vindication there but there is validation also.
He knows like everyone else, at least in the august halls that he inhabits, that a public office is a public trust. The court ruling laid in no uncertain terms that the honor code has been breached in that sense. It’s was no surprised that he was surprised—or aghast—about the legal curve ball. Two of the senator’s colleagues had been earlier declared off the hook for the similar scam, for one reason or another. His lawyers didn’t give him the total picture?
It’s no small, insignificant setback or debacle in an important battle. “And Cain said to the Lord , my punishment is greater than I can bear?”
To be sure, Jinggoy has not been driven out like Cain from the face of the Senate. The Sandigabayan decision is not yet final and executory until the highest court rules. Meaning, the senator can still keep his post, take part in Senate hearings, even bully some witnesses that are not telling the truth. Why should they?
But like Cain, Jinggoy may be worried about the ruling’s impact and repercussion. Public opprobrium may come in 2025 or 2028 , depending on the people’s mood to forget or forgive. Some people may find and try to harm me, Cain begged for mercy. It took the present regime more than two decades to regain their reputation. It’s still ongoing. There is a P23 billion orP203 billion tax estate that has yet to be settled. There’s an SC ruling that calls for an imprisonment. But fairness and human rights, or old age, stand in the way.
Jinggoy and his lawyers are considering the SC as an option. Former senator Leila de Lima, out on bail from her own drug case, has a caveat to Jinggoy. He warns him that that option may be like jumping from the prying pan into the fire. He might end up being convicted of plunder in the event the SC takes up his appeal.
Jinggoy is in a perfect dilemma. He has a choice between two bad options, the one may be a lesser evil, but it’s evil still. I t’s an imperfect world with imperfect people and, people find it hard locate the better angel of their nature. Some people can be lucky, and Jinggoy may entertain that idea like a superstition. Who knows, it will take years before the decision become final and executory, like in ten years or forever . By that time, Jinggoy will be old already . And old age matters based on jurisprudence. Good luck.
The 18th century English philosopher John Sturt Mills had reservations about representative government. His fear was intellectual, not moral. He was certain morons, not crooks, will be elected in office. Is moral bankcruptcy,a bane in democratic system of government, the upshot of intellectual deficit?
Non sequitur, history tells us. Great minds had their tendencies to commit great crimes ,too. More than 20 years ago, a dictator was kick out from his throne, many thought will last a lifetime , in a peaceful revolution heard and seen all over the world in an unprecedented fashion. Rizal, who had hoped something like that he prophesied in his essay “ The Philippines a Century Hence”, was vindicated. It was short-lived though. Two decades or so after, the son of the dictator was brought back to power. History has since been rewritten, and continues be so, proving the old dictum that victors write history , not the good ones.
In fairness. Jinggoy didn’t sound heroic on his exoneration. There was vindication all right, but there was also validation. The equation is not right minus wrong. He can still look forward to jail time and huge fine for the millions of pesos he earned through bribery. If he likes his chances, and his lawyers agree, he might try his luck in the Highest Tribunal. Even if he is lucky, it’s fat chance that he will be buried in the Libingan ng Mga Bayani.
He’s in a big hole right now, and wise minds suggest that there is no need to dig deeper. De lima has pointed to the risk of that route via an appeal to the SC. It’s seldom the road taken. The future is not promising for him, unlike some guy who,according to rock star Rod Stewart, has all the luck and travels a lot and brings home the bacon, so it is bandied about.
There’s a better nugget at home: some guys are smarter than others.
