Showing posts with label lawyer. Show all posts

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Ang Abogado

Posted on Tuesday, 22 November 2016

ANG ABOGADO
Ni Apolinario Villalobos


Ang todo-todong denial ni de Lima ay typical na ugali ng isang abogado. Ang tagumpay ng isang abogado sa korte ay depende sa kanyang galing sa pagsalita at pagpakita ng “ebidensiya”…at diyan yumaman ang ILANG abogado na kinukuha ng mga drug lord at kriminal na mayaman. Dapat ding tanggaping hindi lahat ng batas ay patas sa mayaman at mahirap. Ang ILANG mga gumawa kasi ng mga batas ay mayayaman at kaya nga sila nagpursigeng maging mambabatas ay upang masiguro na lalo pa silang makinabang. Ang ILANG mambabatas na hindi mayaman ay may balak namang yumaman…huwag silang mambola sa pagsabi na kaya sila pumasok sa pulitika ay gusto nilang tumulong sa taong bayan. Wala ring silbi ang sinasabing “hustisya” sa korte dahil mismong ILAN sa mga huwes ay tiwali.

Kung magaling ang abogado, kahit mali ay napapalabas niyang tama batay sa batas na ginawa ng mga mambabatas na karamihan ay abogado rin. Sigurado rin ang panalo niya kung ang kalaban niyang abogado ay walang binatbat o walang kuwenta…at lalung-lao na kung ang huwes na humahawak sa kaso ay binayaran. Dahil sa mga nabanggit ay may kasalanang “miscarriage of justice” kung sakaling mapatunayan ng “matinong” nakakataas na huwes ang nangyaring katiwalian, batay naman saa tinatawag na “appeal”.  Sa larangan ng abogasya ay matunog ang mga bupete o law offices na nakapagpanalo ng mga kriminal kahit obvious na may kasalanan, pero dahil magaling sa pagsilip ng mga batas na may butas ang mga abogado nila, sila ang kinukuha ng mga korap sa gobyerno, mga holdaper na mayaman at drug lords.

May mga kaibigan akong abogado na kahit hindi angkop ang utak sa abogasya ay nagpilit kumuha ng kursong ito dahil pinagbigyan lang ang magulang. Ang iba naman ay balak lang mag-notaryo at hindi hahawak ng kaso na pagdedebatihan sa korte dahil tanggap naman nila na mahina sila sa Ingles lalo na sa pagsalita nito. Ang dalawa nga sa kanila ay nagpapa-edit pa sa akin ng mga dokumentong ginawa nila.

Ang mga batas ay hindi perpekto dahil kahit kapirasong butas ay meron sila at ito ang mga pinag-aaralan ng mga abogado. Dahil diyan ay maraming tiwaling mambabatas na abogado dahil alam nila kung anong batas ang pwede nilang pagkitaan, at ang iba ay sila pa ang nagpanukala.

Balik kay de Lima…..ang pagmamatigas niya ay effort at karapatan ng mga “matataling tao”, batay sa mga kasabihang, “my word or your word” at, “innocent until proven guilty”. Siya ay edukada at abogada, pero ang mga witnesses laban sa kanya ay hindi nakatapos ng kurso, at yong isa nga ay hindi nakatapos ng elementarya.


Ang blog na ito ay pansarili kong pananaw at hindi akong nanghihikayat ng mga mambabasa upang ako ay paniwalaan o di kaya ay mawalan ng tiwala sa korte at mga abogado. Hindi naman lahat ng abogado ay may matuwid na pag-iisip at konsiyensiya….masuwerte ang makakakuha sa kanila.

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The Philippine Justice System, Lawyers, and General State of Rehabilitation Facilities

Posted on Wednesday, 17 December 2014



The Philippine Justice System, Lawyers
and General State of Rehabilitation Facilities
Ni Apolinario Villalobos


A crucial change in the life of a man may be caused by being at the right place at the right time or by having guts to face odds rejected by others. For the lawyer in particular, these are what he needs to prosper with his profession. Too much risk is involved with the thought, “now or never”, that serves as the force that pushes the desirous lawyer towards his ambition to be recognized.

“Sensation” is the keyword for the success of a lawyer. This is the reason why, a lawyer always aspires to handle a case that hugs the limelight, never mind if it seems a losing one due to glaring evidences against the client. The more controversial the case is, the better for the lawyer, because he will benefit from the attention that his client will get.

As dictated by the law books, no person is guilty unless proven beyond doubt. This is the reason why the eyes of the Lady Justice are covered because before the court, both victim and the aggressor are equal, and each side should present convincing evidences to win the case. Woe then, to the innocent client who can only afford an inexperienced lawyer with limited references. On the other hand, the obviously guilty party easily avoids conviction with the help of well-paid  “expert” and “seasoned” lawyers.

Philippine prisons are filled to the rafters with erroneously convicted victims of injustice due to their inability to get the right lawyer to defend them, and worse, inability to get one due to their poverty. Despite this glaring defect in the justice system of the Philippines that contributes to the bursting of rehabilitation facilities, the national government remained inept…reacting only when scandals erupt, such as the affluent lifestyle of convicts at the maximum security section of the National Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa which has become an embarrassing national issue.

The rest of rehabilitation facilities, except for penal farms, are in the same situation. Practically all of them suffer from want of decent sanitation facilities. Inmates take turns in sleeping on the floor, while the rest remain on their feet for the rest of the night. Diseases add to the miseries of the inmates, with some, not yet convicted. And the food rations are far from decent.

Rich inmates buy their comfort by bribing corrupt jail guards and officers. Drug trafficking is still operated by drug lords from the maximum security section of the national penitentiary, and prostitution proliferates with the blessing of the paid jail guards. It is only in the Philippines where one can find detention cells inside maximum security section yet, of the national penitentiary, furnished akin to a richy home, complete with spa, jacuzzi, home theater, and aircon units.

When Kabungsuan Makilala, a jail guard of the Bureau of Correction, exposed the anomalies inside the national penitentiary, nothing came out of information extracted from him. A minor change in guards was implemented to show that something is being done. Afterwards there was a deafening lull within the Department of Justice.

It was only when a committee of Congress charged with the programs for the country’s rehabilitation facilities exposed their shock on the state of the national penitentiary,  did the Department of Justice (DOJ) again made noise, most especially, because the modernization budget of the facilities is at stake. When the Senate stepped into the picture, the DOJ showed its most convincing move by launching “surprise” inspections, but without de Lima having made threats against the NBP officials on TV, thereby, broadcasting their moves!

Finally, despite the scandalous discoveries made lately,  the DOJ statements as regards its plans to rid the  country’s rehabilitation facilities of corrupt officials and lower ranking employees are still wanting of sting. With the budget for the modernization of the country’s rehabilitation facilities already in the bag, one can’t help but expect many pockets to bulge.