At the Palace of Justice many years ago, I watched a colleague passionately argue his client’s prayer for the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) and a writ of preliminary injunction against a government-owned bank.
“The interest of substantial justice, Your Honor, urgently demands quick judicial intervention,” his voice boomed across the courtroom. “Unless the Court restrains further action by the bank, my client, the plaintiff, will suffer irreparable injury.”
The judge looked intently at the compañero before asking, “what kind of intervention do you have in mind? What course of action are you suggesting the Court should take?” The lawyer replied, “the petition prays for the issuance of a restraining order and eventually, a writ of preliminary injunction, Your Honor.”
“But what specifically do you want the court to restrain? The mortgage has been foreclosed, the certificate of sale has been issued and, since the redemption period has expired, title has been consolidated in favor of the bank.”
The compañero began to mumble again about the interest of substantial justice but the judge (was it you, Gabby Ingles?) mercifully cut him short and ordered the parties to submit
a memorandum.
I was reminded of that scene after I read about the Bring Him Home mass at the San Pedro Cathedral in Davao City the other day. I know that God’s mercy even to those who mocked him is limitless but what kind of intervention were they seeking?
That the International Criminal Court (ICC) will be persuaded, after reviewing the records of the “confirmation of charges” hearings that there is not enough evidence to start a full trial and thus orders the dismissal of the case?
That the ICC, after consistently holding that Duterte is fit for trial, will suddenly reverse course and declare that he in fact is suffering from some physical and cognitive health issues that render him unfit for trial?
Critics will likely sneer that the expression of faith by the DDS faithful in God’s kindness and infinite wisdom is belated and self-serving but renewal or conversion is not time-bound, and don’t we always pray for our special intentions?
What is ironic, though, is that even as the bells rang in hope and supplication in the Davao City cathedral and other places of worship where Duterte faithfuls converge to pray for God to “bring Tatay home safe,” other members of the cult were spreading the story that the ICC judges have been bought.
Instead of helping God by helping themselves first, they’re making his mission more difficult by badmouthing the judges that they want him to convince. Like the colleague who went to court for a TRO, do they really know what they want and how to get it?