3 major challenges against the justice system: Quiboloy, Guo and Teves

The government is being tested on its ability to uphold the administration of justice by three major challenges being posed by high-profile fugitives of justice: Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, Mayor Alice Guo and not to forget former congressman Arnulfo Teves. Can this administration assure the citizens that no one is above the law? That remains to be seen.

There is a wide gap between words and action, between declared intention and actual performance. The president declares that heads shall roll and there shall be no sacred cows. Well, the people are eagerly waiting for action. "Res ipsa loquitor." The thing speaks for itself. It is very clear that the escape by the former Bamban mayor was aided by either the active support of immigration, seaport or airport officials or was made possible by the notorious and gross negligence of the authorities. And so, the people are crying for the fast and decisive executive decision. If this government is too quick to suspend mayors and governors for acts not directly committed by them, then what is being done to this Alice Guo imbroglio?

The standoff in Davao is becoming a comedy of errors. The court has issued an order directed against the police? Why are the lawyers for PNP being outsmarted by the lawyers of Quiboloy? Why is the court favoring those who are barricading public thoroughfares? Why is the PNP always telegraphing its moves? The PNP spokesperson is always on the air announcing what the policemen on the grounds are going to do, thereby giving the Quiboloy camp a tip to make preemptive moves? For instance, the PNP announces that there are people underground and inside the bunker? Why not just enter the bunker and enforce the warrant of arrest? Do we have to be rocket scientists to understand these simple things?

About Arnulfo Teves, why does it take forever for the DFA to obtain the cooperation of Timor Leste so that Teves can be brought to the fold of the law? Timor needs the support of the Philippines so that its application to be accepted as a full member of ASEAN can be expedited. But our diplomats are too slow in exerting efforts to facilitate a very simple matter of bringing home a fugitive of justice. How can we even stand up to China in international bodies when our diplomats are unable to achieve a very simple act of getting Timor Leste to release to our custody a notorious fugitive who is facing multiple murder charges?

If this government is going to ask for political support for its candidates in the 2025 midterm elections as well as its 2028 presidential elections, how can the people trust these leaders if they cannot even perform the most fundamental duty of administering justice? They are being outsmarted by aliens who desecrate and dishonor our legal systems. They are being ridiculed by religious leaders who taunt our justice system. Former congressmen and former mayors are giving very bad examples to our citizens and our law-enforcement officers are seemingly unable to bring them to the fold of the law.

As the poet would say, about the quarrel between the mountain and the squirrel: "if I cannot carry a forest on my back, you cannot even crack a nut." And so, if this government cannot even arrest a high profile fugitive, how can it defend the West Philippines Sea? The movie industry has a word for it: "Tinimbang ka ngunit kulang."