|
Monday, April 24, 2006
Maxey: Crime and punishment, RP style
By Ram Maxey
Bar None
IN DAET, Camarines Norte, a 50-year-old fisherman has been meted with two death penalties and 25 life terms for the successive rape of his own daughter.
In addition, the court ordered the father to pay his daughter P2.8 million as civil indemnity and moral damages, plus P685,000 in exemplary damages.
As far as President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is concerned, this particular convict will never get to see the inside of the death chamber, let alone twice, thanks to her forgiving heart and misguided judgment.
Forget the P3,485,000 total damages this subsistence fisherman has been ordered to pay for his crime. Who are they kidding?
No substitute for victory
It is hoped that the recent Counter-Terrorism Experts Conference (CTEC) held in Cebu and participated in by over 500 delegates from countries around the world who are fighting global terrorism will go a long way in minimizing, if not actually eliminating, this threat to humanity.
As host to the conference, the Philippines -- contrary to some foreign detractors' malicious insinuations -- underscored its determination to be in the forefront of the campaign being waged against this modern day phenomenon that shows neither respect nor compassion for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness among peoples of the world regardless of race, religious beliefs and cultures.
There is incontrovertible evidence that international terrorism has progressed from isolated instances of mass murder into one vast, well-organized network of terror cells around the globe supported with adequate funds by Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda organization which has satellites in Southeast Asia like the Jemaah Islamiyah and the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).
The best way peace-loving societies can fight this global network of killers is to bond together, find ways and means of ferreting out the terror cells and eliminating them. This takes organization, money, intelligence work, exchange of information and constant interaction and commitment among the countries engaged in the fight against terrorism.
Such a worldwide campaign will take time before final victory is won. The CTEC in Cebu was only one of many more such conferences that will take place in various parts of the globe in the years to come. No one country, nor one region, can fight this scourge alone. It will take effective cooperation, willingness and dedication to win the war against global terrorism.
In this type of war, there is no substitute for victory.
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (April 24, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
