Muddled issue

By Alfredo C. Garvida, Jr.

Whoever contrived the Napo-lists deserves a big salute from students of public relations and propaganda; intriguing and baffling, yet inscrutable in the context as to why these self-righteous keepers of the lists had to arrogate such moral ascendancy unto themselves to tantalize the public about the involvement of innumerable political personalities beyond the fact that the documents in their possession are neither subscribed nor signed by the purported source that was Janet Napoles herself.

Just as the government was on its way to indict and prosecute the originally listed politicians, including Senators Enrile, Estrada and Revilla, people of unverified intents came out swinging in the media brandishing weightless evidence against other political figures, which thus has now muddled the issue of corruption against the aforementioned distinguished senators, and waylaid in effect the government's momentum to indict them. 

Sandra Cam, an erstwhile disgruntled big-time jueteng "arranger" in the Bicol Region, who snitched on her partners and connections when the going got rough on her interest some years back, suddenly exploded out of nowhere and claimed she was in possession of a list of other politicians involved in this infamous scam. Her guts to come out with unsubstantiated proof, linking other political personalities, is a good lesson for the government, and the public for that matter, to ponder whether such a brazen act deserves toleration or sanction.

How about former Sen. Panfilo Lacson? He also had his own list, unsigned and unsubscribed as Sandra Cam's, therefore known to him—being a former Director General of the Philippine National Police and 12-year serving Philippine senator—as legally weightless. He trumpeted this list's existence in his possession in the media, feigning his knowledge of due process but conveniently countenancing its news spread just so Sen. Miriam Santiago and former Sen. Manny Villar, his political enemies, are made known to the public that they are also involved in the scam somehow.

Then there was also this list in Justice Sec. De Lima's possession. Yet, true to what is expected of her as the justice secretary, she declined to name names until substantial evidence exist to create probable cause to prosecute. This is justice, even in the face of the government's norm of delaying its dispensation in innumerable cases, such as the infamous Maguindanao massacre.

It is not right to accuse people in public without ready proof to buttress your indictment. An unsigned and unsubscribed document is not and can never be a proof to establish the guilt of an accused; to allow it otherwise would be the highest travesty of humanness.

Sandra Cam's and Panfilo Lacson's propaganda grandstanding have distorted big-time the real issue at stake in this historic issue of shame in our country today: whether the indictment of Senators Enrile, Estrada and Revilla, along with other people who have had such covetous affair with Janet Napoles, the alleged queen of the mother of all scams in the Philippines, backed by substantial evidence that were assessed and minutely prepared and perused by our legal experts in government, should proceed according to schedule.

It should not be uncommon for Sandra Cam to be lacking ample circumspection in matters of public discourses. But Lacson's discretion, or lack of it, does not conform to his budding image as a clean and fair politician. He is viewed as a possible presidential or vice presidential contender in 2016 but this glaring bias of his against due process has now made me shiver on my well-meant intention to vote for him for any position in government.

The big question now is what right or reason do Lacson and Cam have to stir this Napoles controversy into an open arena of conflict of public opinions. Is it out of patriotism or outright pursuit for personal glory?

No one must be left unprosecuted for this distasteful and ungodly crime conniving people consumed by greed in our midst have done to us. Yet, the principle of due process and respect to human rights must be paramount. Lacson's and Cam's theatrics have effectively derailed the prosecution of the powerful politicians and the direction now is what the citizens of this country have feared most: a whitewash.

The 2016 presidential election is just around the corner. Two years—when we will have a new president—is not enough time to sort out the mess brought about by the Napo-lists. The leading presidential contender in the surveys is the political ally of some powerful politicians included in the first batch of the accused the government intends to indict now. The delay in their prosecution could work to their advantage if this leading presidential contender wins as the surveys project, but such delay could also work against this candidate's political interest given the chance that the electors could wake up to their senses that his election could result to the biggest mockery of justice this nation ever had. Compromising justice in favor of his friends may not be the truth in his presidency but people's perception comes natural as events transpire in their midst.

The government should not be distracted by the Napo-lists. It should proceed with its aim at speeding up the prosecution of those involved in the Napoles scam as the evidence now on hand permits.