fo•ren•sics (fə-rěn'sĭks, -zĭks). The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company, defines forensics as: (1) The art or study of formal debate; argumentation; and (2) The use of science and technology to investigate and establish facts in criminal or civil courts of law.
Fresh off the press: “New York-based media advocacy group Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on Monday assailed the Arroyo administration for the ‘unsolved’ murders of 24 Filipino journalists, one of the highest number of media killings in the world.”
The Philippine government’s incompetence is once again highlighted. The hopelessness of many is waxing.
Aghambayan wonders how our public agencies are doing forensic work on all these killings.
Numerous killings remain unsolved while government seems overly anxious to let murderers and rapists get lighter sentences or commutations of their prison terms. It’s almost tempting to say that, in this country, the science of forensics is purposely left underdeveloped so that the killers (many of them probably in government) maintain their impunity. And if found guilty anyway, you can get out earlier by just donating here and there… No wonder many Filipinos are drowning in their hopelessness.
Consider these — Ninoy Aquino. Lean Alejandro. Dacer. Corbito. What do these names have in common? Mystery. For who really killed them? Even in the case of Ninoy, the question remains for the mastermind has yet to be identified.
And yes, we also want to raise the ghosts of the Dacer-Corbito case. But where is the solid forensic evidence behind these two killings? To compound matters, how can we fully trust government on this when those involved might have been government agents themselves… or are now “enemies” of the government for they purportedly support certain political interests anti-thetical to the current regime? Why is the Dacer-Corbito twin murders being revived this time around? Eleksiyon na naman? We hope government can put as much effort on other killings and disapperances especially the political ones.
Aghambayan thinks that this country needs more science in its governance and politics. More science in its effort to create a better nation.
Let’s start with forensics and a more critical citizenry.
