A ‘mad, mad, mad, mad’ judiciary

Many policemen moonlight as bouncers in nightclubs and bars, or drive taxicabs or become personal transport providers (e.g., Grab) in their off-duty hours.

That’s perfectly all right as they’re making an honest living to augment their income.

Other cops, though, engage in crime when they’re off duty, and even when they’re on the job.

Of course, that’s not all right but it seems to be prevalent among many members of the Philippine National Police whose motto is “to serve and protect.”

The public witnessed the involvement of four Taguig City policemen in robbing a Japanese and his Filipino wife of P30 million in cash and gadgets in the couple’s house in Pasig City last year.

In San Fernando town in Cebu, three active policemen and an ex-cop barged into a home, robbed a couple of P1.5 million in cash and jewelry and, not contented with what they’d done, shot and killed the husband and wife.

The “saving grace” of three active duty cops was that they surrendered because they were bothered by their conscience.

However, their surrender does not mitigate their heinous crime of robbery with homicide, which is a non-bailable offense and punishable by life imprisonment.

In 2016, two motorcycle-riding gunmen shot and killed the head of a citizen crime watchdog organization in Calapan, Mindoro Oriental, Zenaida Luz.

The gunmen turned out to be police commissioned officers, Senior Insp. (Capt.) Magdaleno Pimentel Jr. and Insp. (Lt.) Markson Almeranez.

They were cornered and wounded in a gunfight with pursuing policemen.

Pimentel was the commanding officer of the Oriental Mindoro Police Public Safety Company, while Almeranez was chief of police of Socorro town.

And you know what? Both Pimentel and Almeranez are graduates of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA), counterpart of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA)!

And, surprise of surprises – both were acquitted by a Manila trial court!

The judge who heard the murder case said the prosecution failed to “prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt.”

Now, do you still wonder why criminal members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) remain in the force? They are coddled by either the organization or the courts, as in the case of Pimentel and Almeranez.

We should not be surprised, nay shocked, if the Taguig cops who robbed a couple in their home in Pasig City and those who killed a couple in San Fernando town in Cebu are also acquitted.

The judges hearing the cases of the accused cops might also say the prosecution “failed to prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt” or some such crap.

Or the courts would say there was a “presumption of regularity” when the Taguig cops and the policemen in San Fernando town in Cebu committed their separate crimes.

To paraphrase a 1960s movie, we have a “mad, mad, mad, mad” judicial system.

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And why should I not say we have a “mad, mad, mad, mad” judiciary?

Here’s another example of the madness of our judiciary: A Makati trial court judge years ago meted out a light sentence to three young men who ganged up on and stabbed dead a major of the United States Marine Corps at the guardhouse of a gated subdivision in Makati City.

The US Marine officer’s wife was a consul in the US embassy.

The judge gave the accused, scions of rich families, probation so they would not have to serve time in prison.

It was a clear case of murder: the victim, who was outnumbered, was unarmed while the three youths were all armed with knives.

This columnist wrote about the travesty of justice in the murder of the US Marine officer, prompting the Supreme Court to take notice.

The judge was later dismissed from the service; however, the murderers remain scot-free.

Here’s another example of our “mad, mad, mad, mad” judicial system: Years ago, then Bulacan Judge Andres Soriano convicted a quadriplegic for rape and meted him a life sentence.

A quadriplegic is a person who is completely paralyzed as he/she can’t not move both hands and feet.

Jeff Quesada was wheelchair-bound and can’t go to the toilet without being bodily carried by two persons. He can only eat by being spoon-fed.

If he couldn’t do all those actions cited above, then why was Quesada convicted of rape?

Ask Judge Soriano, who is now a Makati City regional trial court judge.

And you know what? The Court of Appeals at the time upheld the stupid decision!

Then president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo pardoned Quesada upon this columnist’s recommendation.

I’ve written about Soriano’s witless conviction of Quesada for the nth time to highlight the stupidity of some judges in rendering decisions.

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That was hitting below the belt on the part of the family of visual artist Bree Jonson when they insinuated that Philippine National Police Chief Dionardo Carlos went to Balesin island resort to meet with its owners, the Ongpin family.

Ongpin scion Julian was a person of interest in the death of Bree, his girlfriend, at a hotel in La Union.

Julian was later cleared of murder by police investigators.

Just because General Carlos spent “private time” at the Ongpin-owned Balesin, did that mean he met with the Ongpins?

If Carlos did, he could have met with former trade minister Roberto Ongpin in some private places in Manila and elsewhere.  But since Julian was cleared of criminal raps, what would have been the reason for the meeting between Carlos and the Ongpins?

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Joke! Joke! Joke!

Only certain professionals can get away with saying these:

Doctor: Take off your clothes.

Dentist: Now, open wide and hold still.

Veterinarian: How’s your pretty pussy?

Gardener: Want me to fertilize your bush?

Lawyer: Let’s go over Section 69.

Banker: Don’t withdraw or you lose interest.

Badminton coach: Hold the cock straight.

Gym trainer: Push harder.