Political Repression

First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.

Pastor Martin Niemöller

Not content with Crispin “Ka Bel” Beltran’s house arrest a duly elected party list representative, now they are running for Satur Ocampo another Party List Representative. Military operatives raiding his house like a common criminal for a “crime supposedly committed” 20 years ago make no sense at all.

Is this a case of a snail paced Justice Philippine style or another one of those highly questionable dispensation of justice that typifies this administration and others before her? Looking at Satur Ocampo’s counsel Romeo Capulong of the Public Interest Law Center press release which I quote;

“The warrant of arrest issued against Bayan Muna Representative Satur C. Ocampo without bail is a gross miscarriage of justice. First of all, the case rests solely on the testimonies of the alleged perpetrators of the crime who are now working for the military.

The alleged crime committed consisting of 15 counts of murder allegedly took place more than 20 years ago. It was one of the false allegations against Rep. Ocampo in the pending rebellion charge and cannot be the subject of a separate case.”

Truly makes you wonder how an ordinary powerless people would fare in our not so blind judicial system. They seem to have a peculiar way of treating witness in criminal cases as in the admitted Jueteng go-between hailed as a “hero” and now running for a seat in the legislative office. Hmmmmn, in most parts of the world witness perpetrators of the crime sometimes gets a lighter (depending on his culpability) sentence in exchange for their testimony, I find it odd that these criminals don’t even get a slap in the hand but gets rewarded in the bureaucracy.

Photo Courtesy Arkibong Bayan