Thieves present even in Jesus’ time–Escudero

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE disclosure of Supreme Court

Associate Justice Marvic Leonen that hoodlums in robes remain came as no surprise for Senator Francis Escudero.

“Even during the time of Jesus, there were already thieves,” Escudero said. “The problems of the world did not change.”

“If it came from him [Leonen], I have no doubts he’s drawing it from something and he has knowledge of it,” the senator added.

Leonen on Thursday urged lawyers to speak out against corruption, which he said continues to exist in government and in the judiciary.

“Impartiality suffers when corruption infects courts… Corruption weakens the rule of law and therefore the confidence of people in the government,” Leonen said during the 19th National Convention of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) in Davao City.

He called on lawyers to report any member of the judiciary, including former judges or justices, who offer to “facilitate the outcome of a case.”

“You are obliged to report them to us, through the Office of the Chief Justice,” he added.

Escudero said he would welcome efforts by the judiciary to clean its own ranks even if he acknowledged it would be difficult.

“I believe discretion always equals corruption. The judiciary is purely discretionary. Oftentimes, 90-95% of cases are new and unique so discretion will enter,” Escudero said.

“We remind our residents in Butuan to be always on alert, especially in times of disasters, to save lives,” the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) said Sunday as it distributed some 2,543 food boxes to affected residents.

In Cabadbaran City, Agusan del Norte, the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office reported that 15 villages were hit by flooding, with a total of 803 families or 3,516 individuals directly affected and are temporarily sheltered in 22 evacuation centers.

In Jabonga also in Agusan del Norte, four villages were affected by flooding that sent 216 families or 720 persons to evacuation sites while in Talacogon, Agusan del Sur, at least 83 families also abandoned their flooded homes.

Landslides were reported in the town of Sibagat in Agusan del Sur, particularly in Barangay Kioya and in Purok 1, Barangay Mahayahay; and in Barangay Tigbao in Cagdianao, Dinagat Islands. In the Visayas area, some 15 people in

Barangay Rizal of the town Tomas Oppus in Southern Leyte were affected by landslides triggered by the LPA’s rains.

The Wright-Taft Road in Eastern Samar was also closed to traffic after the national highway in Binaloan town was hit by a landslide.

In its advisory on Sunday, the state weather bureau said the LPA will bring moderate to heavy with at times intense rains over Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Quezon, Bicol Region, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, and Samar. The LPA, however, remains less likely to develop into a tropical depression.