Hustisya: Philippines' Most Unfaithful Lover

by Jett Rubin

Jan 14, 2023  •  2 min

Amid news of celebrity couples breaking up on the grounds of infidelity in the beginning of 2023, it appears that the Filipino people have also been victims of said issue. On January 6, 2023, news about the acquittal of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla's eldest son spread across media platforms. 

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Las Piñas Regional Trial Court's decision to acquit Juanito Jose Remulla III of his drug case earned various negative reactions from the people. 

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“Kaklaro na ato pero unsaon ta man naa may kapit,” Manong Andoy, 31, a balut vendor in Tugbok, Davao City said. 

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[It was clear (that he was guilty), but what can we do? He had connections.]

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Upon hearing the news of Juanito Remulla's acquittal, Manong Andoy said that he and his colleagues could only shake their heads. The result of the case was disappointing but not unexpected. 

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Another Davaoeño that I got to interview about the news, Nanay Mina, 76, said that the news has disheartened her. 

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“Gipusil sa ulo akong anak sa una tungod anang drugs drugs. Daghan sad kaayog laing inosente ang napatay tungod ana pero kaning anak sa secretary mura rag gimagic,” she said. 

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[My son was shot on the head because of drugs. There were also a lot of innocent people who were killed because of that, and yet with the son of the secretary it was like it was magicked.] 

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Other people also commented that the Remulla case had been speedrun. It was only on October 14, 2022 when Las Piñas prosecutors filed a complaint against Juanito Jose Remulla on the grounds of violating Section 11 of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act. In October 11, Juanito Remulla was arrested by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and members of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Force group in Las Piñas City. A P1.3 million worth of kush, a type of marijuana, that weighed close to 900 grams was seized from him. No less than three months later, Juanito Remulla was acquitted on the grounds of reasonable doubt. 

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Unlike the pending drug cases of common citizens, Remulla's case took on a way faster pace. It was as though the country's justice system had its gears newly oiled. 

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“Unfair siya sa uban ba na pending pa ang kaso ang uban gani di kaabot sa ilang trial mamatay na, ang uban sad wa juy trial diretso patay,” Yang, a law student in Rizal Memorial Colleges, said. 

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[It's unfair for some who still have their cases pending in the courts, some even die before their trial, while others are killed.]

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There is no denying that the justice system of the Philippines is slow and, sometimes, unresponsive. To Juanito Remulla's party, this turn of events might have been a justice served—one that is undeserved. To the Filipino people, this is just another episode of how the Philippine justice system is similar to an unfaithful lover that only serves its rich mistress.