Unequal treatment

SENATORS Bong Revilla and Jinggoy Estrada, two of those accused of plunder, have already turned themselves in to authorities and they are currently detained in a special facility for those accused of plunder. Although the "surrender" of the two senators sends positive signals to the public that the Philippine justice system is working, critics assailed the special treatment given to them by providing them a special detention center.

Reports said Revilla's camp (family, I supposed) is complaining that the "condominium-like" detention center is far too hot for the senator. Excuse me? Have they forgotten Revilla is in detention?  And as such, he should be treated like the others detained for a crime they were accused of committing? Of course, he should be treated with respect, as all human beings deserved to be treated, convicted or not. But no special treatment, please. The detention center reserved for those accused of plunder are actually far, far better than the detention centers of the ordinary Filipino citizens accused of other crimes. Revilla's family and the families of others charged with him should remember that. 

Many ordinary Filipinos accused of crimes, some just even petty transgressions, are detained in crampy jails. It is not only the slow-paced justice system that is the problem in this country, but also congested jails, and the apparent bias that favor the rich.

Years ago, I visited the National Penitentiary for a paper I was writing, and I saw first hand how real these problems are. Some of those I have interviewed disclosed that they were victims of a skewed justice system because they were poor. They have lost their case simply because they couldn't afford a lawyer to defend them.  And the inequality continues even inside the prison, as poor inmates serve the rich inmates as "alalay", "janitor" and "labandera" so they can earn extra money for their personal needs.

To my book, government officials accused of crimes should not be given special privileges.  In other countries, a government official or a rich person accused of crimes are detained in ordinary detention jails, not in a "condominium-type structure" specially made for them.

Only in the Philippines it can happen this way. So sad.