Mabini Hall - Access to Justice

The theory of broken windows in police enforcement says that the rate of crime in a neighborhood is directly proportional to the number of broken windows in the area. Broken windows can mean burglaries or plain vandalism. Either way, when these offenses are not nipped in the bud, graver crimes happen. The solution is to keep watch before the situation deteriorates. [Read more →]

On any given day, you are working hard on your desk - taking calls, holding meetings and getting things done. Suddenly, an assistant rushes into your office, pale as a sheet of paper. “The police are looking for you,” he says. A thousand thoughts race: “what happened, is there something wrong?”

The three or four males who look like goons to you flash their identification cards. They tell you that you have been charged with the crime of rape of a minor whose name is utterly unfamiliar. A photocopy of what appears to be a warrant of arrest is shown for you to come with them. You have no choice but to comply with nary a time to make a call or leave instructions for your family. [Read more →]

Are you surprised Nicole left? She flew to America, the land of her rapist, after suffering the worst humiliation for months and years as the victim of a sensational crime while facing down critics and detractors who attacked her morality, her background, and her intentions.

Did Smith rape her? That was what she said and what the court found. Unless you consider the conviction by the Regional Trial Court, a Filipino court, a sham and a show. Never mind that the other accused were acquitted. The case is on appeal with the Court of Appeals. Legally, the judgment against Smith is not final until affirmed by the higher and highest court. So what’s the fuss about? [Read more →]

It can’t get any simpler than this – a man walking. Before space shuttles and airplanes, before tankers and ships, before motorcars and motorcycles, before bikes and horses, it was man’s two feet that got him anywhere. This basic means of locomotion remains to be the most beneficial in many ways. It is therefore most significant that a man, one solitary figure, is walking the face of the earth for the love of our children. [Read more →]

Remember the movie Minority Report staring Tom Cruise circa 2002? The non-word “pre-crime” was introduced to our imagination as a world where law enforcers could actually see that a crime is about to be committed and swoop down on the bad guys to prevent it. Cool huh?

The exact mechanism or process of course is shrouded in a trio of mysterious special people who did the uncanny predictions. How else can we know that a pre-crime was taking place other than to read the pre-criminal’s mind? [Read more →]

The drug problem continues to menace our society, weakening our fiber and obstructing development goals. A key response is a system of random, mandatory drug tests to ensure the drug users are identified and helped in the form of counseling or rehabilitation. At the same time, drug pushers ought to feel the brunt of the law. [Read more →]

Another sad, senseless death and it’s Christmas season. A nine-year-old child was shot to death yesterday—hit right in the heart. Another random killing, another family broken, another injustice. Perhaps it is to be expected in this land of ours where everyone packs a gun or intends to, finances allowing. [Read more →]

The right to reply is the right to answer charges or allegations in the public arena chiefly those in media like newspapers, tabloids and other forms of print media including television, radio and now the Internet.

What happens oftentimes is that a newspaper exposes an alleged scam or wrongdoing in bold headlines and brings a person to ridicule. When the affected person defends himself or presents his explanations, his reply never gets to see the light of day. If ever, it is buried deep in small column spaces in the ‘letters to the editor’ or some obscure section. It is unfair and is harmful to the civilized order. The reputation of the person is effectively destroyed without a remedy unless he goes to court. In the meantime, the accusations may continue. [Read more →]