Sen. Leila M. de Lima on the reinstatement of Supt. Marvin Marcos et al.

The news about Duterte ordering the reinstatement in the police force of Supt. Marvin Marcos no longer shocks me. This is just part of Duterte's commitment earlier made that Marcos will not only be pardoned and reinstated in the service, but he will also be promoted. That was clear from Day 1. The men behind the killing of Mayor Espinosa were just following his orders, according to the President.

What is shocking though is the obvious and inescapable conclusion that these actions by Duterte have been adopted with the illegitimate purpose of affording criminals immunity. International law doctrine and jurisprudence consider these actions as clear indicators of "fraudulent administration of justice".

There is assurance of executive clemency, downgrading of offense charged to allow the posting of bail, and now reinstatement in the service. Mga hakbang ito upang gawing inutil ang ating mga proseso ng pag-iimbestiga, paglilitis, at pagpapanagot sa kasalanan sa krimeng naganap. These are inconsistent with the State's duty to punish murder as both a crime under international law and a gross violation of human rights. It undermines the rights of the victim and/or his family to effective remedy, to be heard by independent and impartial tribunal, and to know the truth.

Ito ang tunay na nakakabahala. Ito ang tunay na nakakahilakbot.

Tatanggapin pa rin ho ba ito ng ating mga kababayan?