My letter to the Philippine Star

I felt it right to speak my mind after reading this article in the Philippine Star,

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=627496

below is my email to the editor

Sir,

I read online the article, "Fraternity Plotted Bar Grenade Attack for weeks" which was published in the November 6, 2010 issue of the Philippine Star. As Assistant Dean of the University of San Jose Recoletos School of Law in Cebu and one of Jed Lazaga's Professors and counsel, allow me to comment and share my personal views on the said article especially that there was a mention of an "elected official from the Visayas" who refused to reveal himself yet eagerly disclosed a very controversial matter before the media for the entire nation to read.

Beforehand, I would like to point out that despite the poor attempt to maintain anonymity, the identity of this "elected official from the Visayas" is crystal clear to me. Suffice it to say that he is a chief executive of a highly urbanized local government unit and a member of the Philippine Bar.

Allow me to quote a very disturbing statement in the article, " The witness, an elected official in the Visayas who refused to be named because he does not want to be involved in the ongoing investigation, said he was told on the second Sunday of the exams about the supposed plan of the fraternity.

“I was told they would create trouble against their known arch rival fraternity during the salubong. It was really intended on the last day of the exams,” he told The STAR in an interview."

I find it disturbing because, if at all he knew about the alleged plan to be staged specifically on the day of the “salubong” then why did he not bother to warn any of the law schools in Cebu about it considering the gravity of the plot? As an elected official, I believe he should have taken the cudgels to warn the Manila Police, the Supreme Court, the Philippine Association of Law Schools and Cebu law schools. Perhaps it would have changed the fate of the 47 victims, it may have stopped the bomber from throwing it amongst the crowd comprised mostly of law students from San Beda College, the alma mater of the elected government official. Most of all, Jed Lazaga would not have suffered sever trauma from the unfortunate and unfair implication as suspect. The name of the University of San Jose Recoletos and the Cebuanos would not have been tarnished. He said he knew it ahead of time, which supposedly gave him ample time to do what is right and incumbent upon him as a citizen, a member of the Bar and as a public servant.

If at all this “elected government official from the Visayas” knew about the plan weeks before, then I find it equally disturbing for him to brave the streets of Taft Avenue by the De LaSalle University area knowing that at any given moment, in an unknown place and time the supposed plan will materialize.

The article further stated, “The official joined the Bar operations because his son took the exams. He said upon learning about the plan ahead of time, he and his companions opted to stay at the other gate, away from the crowd during the salubong.” With all due respect, the place where the “elected government official from the Visayas” waited for his son was NOT the other gate but it was the main gate where most of the barristers would enter and exit. This is the area beside McDonalds. This is specifically the place the where the “salubong” was held and the area where the bomb exploded. The other side of the gate is the one near the EGI Taft Tower Condominium.

Apart from finding it disturbing, I find it disappointing. If this “elected government official from the Visayas” knew about the plan of the fraternity and which fraternity was responsible, then he should have come to the defense of Jed Lazaga, a Cebuano by revealing this useful piece of information. That way, the name of Jed Lazaga would have been cleared in no time and the investigation would not have lagged to about a month.

As a trusted public servant, agent of the court and advocate of law and justice this “elected government official from the Visayas” has deviated from the basic tenets of social responsibility which is a key element of good governance. If he does not want to be involved in the investigation then why reveal such statement? Why only now when 47 lives have suffered, an innocent is a victim of injustice, an institution’s name is tarnished and the Cebuano’s reputation has been equated as a bomber?

Suffice it to say that I have nothing personal against this “elected government official from the Visayas”. I am just dismayed over this revelation. I do not see any sincere motive other than to gain publicity as if his present stint over controversial issues in his local government unit and some singing engagements are not enough. If he had no intentions of helping then he could have just come clean by keeping quiet and then deal with his conscience later on.

I hope this will merit a page in your paper as part of our freedom to react and reply. Thank you and best regards.

Very truly yours,

ATTY. MAE ELAINE T. BATHAN

Assistant Dean, USJR School of Law