Take freedom away from an individual and everything else is of no value.
Freedom is therefore priceless. Millions of lives have been lost for freedom. Our heroes fought till their last breath so that our country will be free from the clutches of foreign domination.
The cost of freedom cannot be overrated. This is probably the rationale behind why our system chooses to punish law offenders by confining them to a small space in a cell. In the case of political or criminal detainees, they are confined in a room at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group pending the arraignment and hearing of the cases against them when the charge is non-bailable.
The smile on the faces of the accused fades as the day of their arraignment approaches. Senators Ramon Revilla Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada denied the charges slapped on them. Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile remained tight-lipped about the charge of plunder.
There are issues regarding the sizes of the rooms or the cells accorded the accused or the convicted. The present outcry is on the overall condition of the places of detention. The apparent disparity seems to give the Filipinos the impression that there is a “special treatment” in regard to the high-profile cases in which those involved held high positions in the government.
Videos or pictures of the detention place of Revilla raise question as to “why the privilege” because when you compare the room to that of an ordinary detainee, Revilla’s room looks like a room in an apartelle.
In my opinion, the room or the cell may be big or small the area, but that does not change the sad state, vis-a-vis the absence of freedom. Being confined in a limited space, especially to someone who can afford to travel around the world, is most hurting to his ego.
I believe that the person with the greatest power has the biggest ego. Being confined in a cell changes an individual’s mind set and shifts the gear towards the inner self.
I pray that those accused, innocent or guilty, will use this time of confinement as an opportunity for reflection and meditation. The truth will set you free.