OUSTED Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno called for prayers during the commemoration of the International Human Rights day on Monday, December 10.
"There is a deep sense of unease and trouble among our people. There is fear by the great majority that they will become the victims of violence, an overwhelming disagreement with the number of deaths in the so-called drug war, and a lack of confidence in the future, by businessmen and consumers," Sereno said.
The former chief justice also lamented the recent decision of the Sandiganbayan a few days ago acquitting Senator Bong Revilla of the charge of plunder which "encapsulates the most recent legal abomination that has been created in the last two years. It is a dagger stroke to the heart of justice. Justice Efren dela Cruz, paraphrased, spoke about the glaring lack of justice when secret crimes are required to be proven on all points by direct evidence of its every factual element.”
Sereno and Joanna Patricia Cariño were the speakers in a forum before a march to Igorot Park Monday afternoon.
The former chief justice said there was a time when people thought the Philippines had one of the most hopeful and expressive constitutions in the world. At that time, the world believed that because of what the Filipinos showed at EDSA, indeed good can conquer evil, when a people can unite to overthrow the chains of dictatorship through peaceful means. Many countries followed what the Philippines did, and one after the other dictatorships fell across the world.
"What is most alarming however, is how this brazen disregard for the law is becoming the norm, not only in the drug war, but also in how corruption and dissent are treated. The corrupt are set free, and those who point out the errors of the President are jailed or threatened," Sereno said.
Sereno added that one cannot escape the fact it is the poor, the defenders of the poor, or those actively calling for observance of the rule of law by government, that are being targeted - not only in police operations, but also in police investigations, fiscals’ preliminary investigations, court filings, warrants of arrest, conviction, and finally adverse court decisions.
“If those who are supposed to be protected by the law are its victims, then what else will you call law if not an instrument of injustice? When law becomes the instrument of injustice, what is the recourse of the people," she said.
Sereno said that to continue to disregard the evil that is happening amidst us is to encourage evil.
“We must fight it at all fronts, by using all legal means to fight not only corruption but all the manifestations of corrupted hearts in government. We must fight it on our knees, in our churches, in our homes, on the streets, by crying out to our Just God, who will not let evil reign forever. We must awaken the consciences of our people. We must let our voices be heard; we must not let our nation lose its soul," Sereno added.