A haven for wounded soldiers, lawmen

The Court of Appeals has acquitted former Senior Supt. Michael Ray Aquino, the alleged mastermind in the abduction-murder of publicist Bubby Dacer and his driver, Emmanuel Corbito.

There is no evidence linking Aquino to the abduction and twin murders, according to the appellate court.

Some members of the defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOC-TF), of which one of the leaders was Aquino, are in jail awaiting trial for the abduction-murder.

Following the appellate court’s logic, the PAOC-TF members who abducted and killed Dacer and Corbito did it on their own without orders from their superiors.

With Aquino’s acquittal, the Dacer-Corbito case remains unsolved, thanks but no thanks to our judicial system.

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Taguig Judge Paz Esperanza Cortes has allowed multimillionaire businessman Cedric Lee and his sidekick, Simeon Palma Raz Jr. and Lee’s friend, Deniece Cornejo, to post bail.

The good judge ruled that the case for serious illegal detention, a nonbailable offense, against Lee, Raz and Cornejo would not hold since it could not be proven that they detained actor Vhong Navarro for ransom.

For Judge Cortes, the crime of serious illegal detention is committed when the motive is kidnapping for ransom, and not for any other reason.

Even first year law students are probably laughing at Cortes.

What drove Judge Cortes to arrive at a decision that has made her a laughingstock?

The answer to that question is another question: If you were to choose, which would you rather be—an unprincipled dunce who is a millionaire or a brilliant and principled man who’s poor?

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President Noynoy can sleep soundly with the transfer of retired Army Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan to the Army detention center in Fort Bonifacio where he is safe.

Bulacan Judge Teodora Gonzales ordered Palparan taken out of the Bulacan provincial jail and out of harm’s way.

Ultra-leftists are after Palparan whom they suspect ordered the disappearance of two militant University of the Philippines students when he was commander of the 7th Infantry Division.

If something happened to Palparan in the provincial jail, many soldiers would have rebelled against the President, their commander-in-chief, who, they perceive, is persecuting the general because of his links with former President Gloria.

To the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Palparan is a hero who served his country well.

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Many policemen and soldiers avoid a firefight with criminals or insurgents because they fear they will be sent to Camp Crame Medical Center or V. Luna Medical Center if they are wounded, thinking they will surely die there because of lack of medicines and medical care.

Lawmen and soldiers, fear no more!

The Chinese General Hospital (CGH) in Sta. Cruz, Manila accepts policemen, as well as agents of the National Bureau of Investigation and soldiers injured while on duty. Hospitalization and medicines are free.

Philanthropist James Dy, CGH president, knows the danger lawmen and soldiers face in going about their jobs.