Lamenting Nation for the Loss of Lives and Justice

(OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF BATAS TOMASINO: THE UST LAW SOCIETY ON THE NOVEMBER 23, 2009 TRAGEDY THAT HAPPENED IN MAGUINDANAO)

November 23, 2009 is one of the most disturbing days of our life as a nation. Never in our existence as a nation has something barbaric as the Maguindanao Massacre happened. Although an organized and bureaucratic system of government had been established nowadays, we are forced to accept that there is an inevitable evil within our political society.

With respect to this happening, has our society really matured over the decisive years, decades, and centuries of aiming for the maintenance of pursuit of justice and a humane society? This question is apparently answerable by the recent consternation our country had faced.

A strong insolence to the rule of God, of Man, and of Society was indubitably shown to us by the Maguindanao Massacre. Indeed, the political system, the law, and the justice in our country have been disdained by the pillars of the government. There were innocent lives dragged to death because of political ambitions by politically-oriented families. As we share with the agony of the families of the victims, we also languish from a system of government we have today. These carnages and other malicious tactics are triggered by the evil political intentions of greedy politicking individuals. Undeniably, in our country, money has always taken a very significant role in times of elections. We hope that this would not hinder our people from choosing and electing the right person to serve us at the end of the day.

Veritably, the 2010 elections is fast approaching and this time, we were taught by the malfeasances in the government, extra judicial killings, and unlawful judgments of the state to be critical with our choice of leaders. Furthermore, we are not just after the safeguarding of the 2010 elections, but also what we could do to eradicate the system of iniquities that deviates the people from exercising their right of suffrage governed by truthful intendments.

Momentarily, we may continue to bewail but together with this, we should motivate ourselves to do something for the lives of the victims and give them honors. We should learn and accept, as citizens of our beloved and devastated government, that ELECTIONS change everything. As critical thinkers, we should lay down our requirements of how a leader should be, so that we would be able to deselect the unworthy ones.

We are one with the families of the victims in praying for the eternal repose of their souls. We believe in the prevalence of justice in our society. We hope that the government would not take long in deciding the verdict for this case because the longer it takes for justice to be redeemed, the harder it is for the families to accept their loss. Justice delayed is justice denied. We believe that with this recent alarming circumstance in our nation, justice will be served and all of us would live under a new Society where no one is above the law whether he be powerful in terms of wealth or political influence. We bring changes and we could improve these changes through our absolute and moral intentions.

"The law applies to all or none at all."