Good news and bad news

First, the good news and it is that at long last the Supreme Court has decided that $682 million of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos’ ill-gotten wealth belongs to the Philippine government. Great crimes can be committed instantaneously. Justice is always a slow process. Sometimes it never even comes. To this date, no one knows the identify of the high official who ordered the shooting of Ninoy Aquino. And even if his identity were revealed today, his crime has already prescribed. No action can be taken against him. The persons who have been imprisoned in connection to Ninoy’s assassination are just military men who followed orders. Sad to say, justice generally comes late and much too often never.

According to the findings of the Supreme Court, the Marcoses had only an aggregate income of $304,372.43 during all their years in the government. So their decision read: "Res-pondent Marcoses failed to justify the unlawful nature of their acquisition of the said assets. Hence, the Swiss deposits should be in favor of the state in accordance with Section 6 of the RA 1379." We are always happy to see our laws fully and impartially enforced.

The bad news is that Indonesian terrorist Fathur Rohman al-Ghozi mysteriously escaped from a high security prison right in Camp Crame. Anyway you look at it, you cannot but conclude that it was an inside job. It reminds us of the time when all the Abu Sayyafs were surrounded in a hospital and for reasons that have not been explained to this day, they were given safe conduct passage out that was even covered by TV. To this day, the rumors persist that some high corrupt men in the military get part of the ransom money that the Abu Sayyafs get from their victims.

National Police Chief Hermogenes Ebdane himself has reportedly said, "I think it’s the human factor. Personally, I believe that money changed hands, in one way or the other…I inspected the site and investigated and I found out that it was impossible for someone to go out. I realized you can’t go out without assistance." He, of course, meant "connivance" with the guards.

Al-Ghozi’s escape is a big setback to the world campaign against terrorism. Acting American Embassy Spokesman, Frank Jenista, said, "Obviously, we’re deeply disturbed by the escape because it raises the threat of terrorism for Filipinos, Americans and everybody in the Philippines." Visiting Australian Prime Minister John Howard’s comment was "Nobody is happy it occurred but the investigation is entirely for Philippine authorities."

We hope that there is a thorough investigation on this inside-job escape. And we hope that the top people responsible for the escape will be identified, arrested, charged, prosecuted and condemned in court. Let us not blame people who were just taking orders.

The al-Ghozi escape makes a total farce of the Philippine government’s war against local and foreign terrorists. Obviously some of them are part of Camp Crame.