A timely message

It took five hours for the clerks of court to read the decision of Judge Amelita Tolentino on the celebrated Vizconde massacre case. This is probably a record insofar as the reading of a judicial decision is concerned. In previous court promulgations, where the decision is lengthy, the Judge usually does away with the reading of many paragraphs, just so the dispositive portion is reached.

But in the Vizconde massacre case, where media hype played a major role during the eight long years that the case was heard by the court, the Defense tried to entrap Judge Tolentino. Before the reading of her decision, a motion was put forward by the Defense, to skip the reading of 99 percent of the Decision, and merely take up the Decision's dispositive portion. "It would take eight hours, if the Decision is read in its entirety," the Defense said.

Judge Tolentino apparently saw through the ploy. Since the entire nation was glued to television screens, with almost every TV network competing for the TV audience, reading the Decision in its entirety would tell the whole world the rationale, the justification, for the court's verdict.

That it took five long hours for the clerks of court to read the Decision, which was replete with appellate court citations and rationalizations and precedents, belied speculations that Judge Tolentino was going to render an unfair verdict. Apparently, she studied the case meticulously and carefully. Not only that. She also researched on precedents of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals. Yes, Judge Tolentino's Decision seemed to be learned and scholarly.

At this stage, the game plan of the Defense would be to erode the legal and factual anchor of Judge Tolentino's decision. Which might be a difficult task, because Judge Tolentino went through almost every facet of the alibi put up by the Defense. Obviously, Judge Tolentino knew that the case would eventually go to the Supreme Court. And she wanted to see to it that there would be no single loophole that would prod the High Tribunal to reverse her verdict.

With the Defense going to the Supreme Court, it will take many more years before the final chapter of this celebrated massacre case is closed. In the meantime, many concerned citizens hope that the verdict of Judge Tolentino will help bring home the message that, indeed, no one is above the law, not even the high and the mighty.

I bumped into former Speaker Ramon "Monching" V. Mitra at the Garden Cafe of EDSA Shangri-La last Tuesday evening. While he has lost a lot of weight and has a pallid look, Monching appeared still strong. I could not believe he was dying, because of his cancer of the liver. Even his doctors in the US are amazed at his gallantry in fighting his battle against the Big C. "You look as strong as a carabao," the doctors told Monching.

When I asked Monching to attend the launching of my book, Walking Through the Pathways of Life, on January 27, Joey Leviste, one of the finest technocrats in our country, asked where the affair will be. "At the Palawan Room, here at EDSA Shangri-La," I answered. Suddenly, Joey and I realized that Palawan was Monching's turf. How appropriate it was that my book, which has several essays about Monching Mitra, would be launched in a place close to Monching's heart.

Let me share with Jaywalker readers how I, in Walking Through the Pathways of Life, described Monching's last farewell to the members of the House of Representatives:

Speaker Ramon V. Mitra got a prolonged round of applause as he ascended the rostrum to preside, for the time, at the final session of the First Congress under the 1987 Constitution. "All good things must come to an end," he said in his last message to his colleagues in the House. He then pleaded with them to canvas the votes "faithfully, objectively, and with all deliberate speed."

Many in the House were misty-eyed as Monching gave his thanks and bade farewell to colleagues of the past six years. "Let me thank -- from the bottom of my heart -- all of you who supported me in the last campaign. It seems our winning was not written in the stars. But the dream we shared will never fade. And I believe time will prove correct our policy advocates," he said.

"To those of this House who were not with me -- perhaps in another time -- in another lifetime -- events and circumstances will bring us together. Samantala, paalam na muna at salamat sa inyong lahat," Monching added.

As Monching stepped down from the rostrum, all the solons, to a man, gave him a standing ovation. "Sayang, Monching was such a good man," Rep. Bonifacio Gillego, the nationalist-legislator said, with a sad look in his eyes.

Jethred Tabino, the young man from Candelaria, Zambales, who left behind his wife and son in the meantime, so that he could help his ailing 12-year-old sister Aprilyn, who is now undergoing medical treatment for Cryptococal Meningitis at the Philippine Children's Medical Center in Quezon City, dropped by my office last Tuesday. He brought along with him many receipts, to serve as liquidation for the funds given to Aprilyn by the Good Samaritan Foundation.

Jet also requested for additional funds, to pay for the laboratory analysis of Aprilyn's water in her brains, at the UERM Memorial Medical Center. The total cost of the two lab tests -- "CALAS-CSF" in medical parlance -- is about P5,000.

For the information of all the Good Samaritans who lent a helping hand to the young girl, there is now an P80,000 trust fund deposited at the PCMC, for the account of Aprilyn. It is from that fund that money will be taken for Aprilyn's continuing medical treatment. The trust fund is about 60 percent of the total amount -- about P154,000 -- needed for Aprilyn's medicines and hospital expenses for the next several weeks.

Art A. Borjal's e-mail address: <[email protected]>