Two Dads

One is rejoicing, the other in deep anguish. Freddie Webb and Lauro Vizconde. When you think about it, both are victims. Freddie saw his son languish in jail for the past 15 years, believing that he doesn't deserve to be there. While Mr. Vizconde had his entire family wiped out by a killer who, apparently, is still at large.

19 years after the Vizconde massacre, we all find ourselves back to square one, asking the same question we all did right after it happened. WHO DID IT? This is a very sad turn of events for the Philippines. The glaring fact that our justice system just doesn't cut it is a bitter pill to swallow. Two courts previously agreed that Hubert Webb et al were guilty of rape and murder, only for their decisions to be overturned by the highest court 15 years later. What does this say about how the wheels of justice turn in our country? Nothing good, obviously.

I can go on and on about how disgusted I feel but there's nothing much I can do to change things. I can only pray that one day, I can wake up to a better Philippines for my children's sake and won't regret not packing my bags and opting to live elsewhere.

Meantime, my prayers are mostly with Mr. Vizconde, who has gone through hell and back and now finds himself in hell again after yesterday's decision to acquit the men whom he believed to be guilty of taking his family away from him. Will he ever see justice served in this lifetime? Will we?

And for Hubert and his family, I hope for the best. May they be able to use the lessons they've learned from this ordeal to help others.

God bless us all.