I remember writing an article about the Jeffrey Laude vs. Joseph Scott Pemberton case. I remember expounding on how little we actually understand the concept of justice and how the case is just another example of how Pinoy vindictiveness is confused for “justice”. Unfortunately, here we are, the latest news about the case says everything we need to know about the typical Pinoy concept of justice. I don’t really want to say this but I’d like to ask Harry Roque, the guy who seems to be in charge of Camp Laude, this question: “How low can you go?”
First, there was the part about blowing the issue out of proportion and making the victim look like some innocent bystander even though Laude has a somewhat spotty record as well. Then, there was the debacle involving circulating the photos of the murdered Laude in the hope of gaining sympathy which, at least to me anyway, is gross disrespect of the dead. Lastly, someone had gotten Laude’s German boyfriend to scale a fence and possibly cause an international fiasco of preposterous proportions. So there, you now have a good idea on how Harry Roque defines justice. No wonder the INC refuses to trust the Philippine judicial system.
| SUPPORT INDEPENDENT SOCIAL COMMENTARY! Subscribe to our Substack community GRP Insider to receive by email our in-depth free weekly newsletter. Opt into a paid subscription and you'll get premium insider briefs and insights from us. Subscribe to our Substack newsletter, GRP Insider! Learn more |
As of late, Harry Roque and his allies are currently demanding 38 million pesos and 6 US visas for their troubles from the opposite camp. There has been some debate over whether this is for settlement or simply damage costs but when you stop to think about it, is this what justice amounts to the common Filipino. While I believe the rumors that Laude was also a shady character, I still think that a life is a life. Was 38 million and 6 US visas all Laude was worth to his family and friends? Where’s the justice in that?
Not long ago, there was a similar case which involved Daniel Smith allegedly raping a Filipino sex worker who went by the alias Nicole. There was a lot of hullabaloo involving that particular case with feminist groups like Gabriella protesting like there was no tomorrow and a lot of anti-American hogwash being broadcasted on TV. At the end of the day though, it seems that “Nicole” settled for a certain amount of money and an American visa and was even discovered later to be having a relationship with a member of the US military.
So does all this mean money equals justice?
38 million pesos and 6 U.S. visas are nothing to laugh at, sure. However, I have always believed that no amount of money can ever equal a human life. Not even all the money in the world can bring the dead back to life after all. At the end of the day, it seems that Laude’s family and his lawyer weren’t about seeking justice in the first place.
Justice isn’t suppose to be about money or getting even. As I’ve said before, isn’t justice suppose to be what’s fair? If the Philippine judicial system has been reduced to simply accepting settlements and bribes, then it can’t be called a “judicial” system at all. When making money becomes more important than upholding the law, then what they should call it is the “scamming” system.
[Photo courtesy Military.com.]
I HAVE RETURNED TO LAY WASTE TO OUR ENEMIES!
Since Laude was apparently a prostitute, is it any surprise that his family and associates are prostitutes too?
I KNEW IT!!!!!! So predictable.
It’s 2005 all over again…
I will not comment on this case, until, it will be decided.
Settlement of any kind and Checkbook Justice are really ridiculous…
Well all money in the world may not bring back the dead but I am pretty sure it can change the world a lot than one life could ever do (specially a filipino life). What is with the US visa anyway? I thought they hate americans? Now they want visa?? The fuck is with this family.
It’s very interesting when you look at the Philippine-called “justice”. I myself have tasted this justice. 10 months BI jail in Bicutan, for nothing.
As has been correctly identified, it goes in the Philippines not about justice, but about profit. Profit by robbery. Profit through fraud. Profit by injustice. Profit through forgery. And many other types of profit more! There is no record of the general nature in the Philippines from the invading Spaniards. But one thing is assigned with absolute certainty. Namely corruption and black tainted souls who are stuck in too many of the Filipinos. This is the heritage of the Spaniards. This ungodly and criminal characteristics flourish in Spain as well as in the Philippines. In Europe, the Catholic Spaniards are considered bastards. Their standard of living is correspondingly low.
In the Philippines, there are laws that are closer to a medieval jurisprudence; But what good is the paper if nobody pays the written law. Especially not the judges, prosecutors and the minister of justice itself.
Well, it is unfortunate when a person loses his life. But we look at the totality. By that I mean the whole of the Filipinos and foreigners. The amount claimed is ridiculously high for one or a prostitute. Here we see the boundless greed of those involved. And there is a clamor organized without equal. In all newspapers is a bunch of crap how hard it has hit the Philippines. Great “Noynoy” propaganda. The sole purpose of pursuing to demonstrate how dangerous and evil foreigners are. But! Not all foreigners come to “fuck” in the Philippines. There are many who intend to bring education and progress.
Now my real question: Since 2003, about 200 foreigners have been murdered in the Philippines. Many of the cases were not even in a regional or national newspaper mention.
Where compensation was paid here? Who here has donated the bereaved consolation? None!
The only thing we know that will be tried to cover up these acts!
So, the Philippine justice – where we find them?
I am a victim of the Philippine injustice.
I stop now active that foreigners come to the Philippines and will be faced with this injustice and moral waste.
Tourists, business people and investors are informed by us and are familiar with current and past cases. Look after your tourist arrivals and investors. I do not mean by the trumped Aquino Statistics. This is our thanks to your “heavenly (evil) justice”.
Laude isn’t the one on trial here. Did we really have to rake up the muck from her(?) past.. and did we have to bring up Nicole who was totally unrelated to the case? The Ph38 million, (on top of the earlier tab of Ph21 million)..plus 6 US visas..in what looks like an ‘exchange’ for Laude’s life, is indictment enough of Philippine Justice.. or, at least , today’s concept of it.
38 million and 6 visa is not worth it because he is a gay prostitute and he lied that he gay even my self if i am in the position of pendelton i will kick hes ass too.. the family and the attorny are using the case as a business ,a protitute only worth 10 thousand not million and the police should arrest the other gay friend for prostituting in the bar and the bar should be closed because they allow gay to riff-off american it is the parent fault because they allow their son to work as prostitute shame on you parent of laude ang kapal ng mukha ninyo kaya kayo ay maka KARMA naniniwALA Kayo sa attorny ninyo waalang ng kahihiyan yang mga attorny
38 million and 6 visa is not worth it because he is a gay prostitute and he lied that he gay even my self if i am in the position of pendelton i will kick hes ass too.. the family and the attorny are using the case as a business
Talaga? May ganoong demand ang camp ni Laude, pera at visas? I am in disbelief, hindi ko kinukwestyon ang writer. Man… that is sick if it’s really true.
Grim —
Harry Roque has specifically and categorically denied the $38-million 6-visa settlement deal on the air when questioned about it on DZMM early yesterday. He also denied that the source of such info was one of his assistant counsels for the Laude family.
It pays to do something as rote and presumably boring as fact-checking if you don’t want to sound like Brit Hume on a bad day.
You’re welcome.
Really, you’re going to say you DON’T believe he’d say something like this.
When you stop to think about it, he probably did and decided to deny it afterwards. Check how the INC tried to apologize and insist the whole EDSA debacle was “unintentional”. So, even if he denied it later, it doesn’t mean that he DIDN’T say it.
I’m not into stereotyping on shaky premises, Grim. You have, but if you can’t be bothered to check up on the basis of Roque’s bebuttal and whether it holds up under scrutiny (not least as it spoils the pretty picture you’ve painted of the Filipino being a fair weather fan or whatever hackneyed metaphor best suits), at least acknowledge that he said something in retort.
To highlight what my little mind could piece together:
– Defense claims that the Laude kin were demanding money/visas in exchange of dropping the charge against Pemberton
– Laude camp denies the defense’s claim
– people remembering the fiasco that was the “Nicole” Subic rape case, then comparing and relating it with what’s happening now
One could even say that the defense might be playing their cards right. But I just say it’s too early to judge what kind of people the Laude kin are. That is, until the said “bomba” would come straight from the horses’ mouth.
The only real radicalism in our time will come as it always has — from Failipinos who insist on thinking for themselves and who reject party-mindedness.
Justice under Aquino can be defined as follows:
“Philippine justice is a whore, she opens her legs for him who pays them!”
Blaming Noynoy for the weather and the jaywalking as well, Hue?
When you behave like you are for sale, don’t be surprised when you are treated like a commodity.