I guess the rainy days really can make me remember the Chiong Sisters' sudden disappearance, right? Right now, Jeepney TV on YouTube hasn't uploaded the Chiong Sisters episode. I watched Give Up Tomorrow where one blatant opponent of constitutional reform, Mrs. Solitas G. Collas-Monsod, was there. I could think about her colorful descriptions that helped the video. Mrs. Monsod did present a lot of valid points such as the late Judge Martin Ocampo's colorful imagination of how Francisco Juan G. Larranaga aka Paco could just hire a plane, land in Cebu, do the dastardly deed, and fly to Manila like nothing happened. I could agree with Mrs. Monsod's statements but I'm still appalled at one thing--she's very anti-reform!
The video I'm sharing was most likely not included due to time constraints. However, it's a good thing that Michael Collins uploaded some of those scenes. These scenes included the owner of the house where the rape supposedly happened, the first lie which involved an illiterate woman signing an affidavit, and Paco's full speech which included his sympathy for the Chiong family. I could admire Mrs. Monsod's courage when she said, "I could be charged with contempt." and mention she has some speculation. She was right to call it a badly written decision.
What was the decision's basis that Paco was almost executed? It's because Paco didn't testify. However, Paco wasn't even allowed to testify on his behalf. The judge even ignored certain protocols such as allowing the forensic experts to verify if the body was indeed that of Marijoy Jimenea Chiong. I still stand by that it's really her. Later, the same judge treated the identity as irrelevant. The photos that were presented in court were questioned (and a certain Teresita Galanida, the one who questioned the photos, was later regarded as a bad joke according to the documentary), and how Paco was denied his right to testify.
Mrs. Monsod even points out the first paragraph. I'm afraid a 2019 report from the Philippine Star says that reading comprehension in the Philippines is really that bad. Just check out how Filipinos tend to make comments and miss the point. Were those in the Supreme Court, at that time, acting like the social media idiots you have today? It's like people who don't understand what 100% FDI ownership is. They think that "Our country is being sold to China! It's Noynoy's/Duterte's gift to China." or "It's a loss of Philippine sovereignty." What they missed is that this 100% ownership means equity ownership. In short, FDIs don't need to find a local partner and get their equity limited to merely 40%. Instead, they can own 100% of their business (in terms of equity) while they're still required to pay rent, pay bills, and pay taxes. I felt that's how the Supreme Court, at that time, treated the documentary.
The irony of the situation is that Mrs. Monsod remains adamant against constitutional reform. I agree with what she said about the bad move of the Supreme Court of the Philippines at that time. However, what really makes me laugh is how she's still blatantly and adamantly anti-reform. Has she even failed to see the cause and effect? It's really funny (and irritating at the same time) when people say, "There's nothing wrong with the constitution. It's the people who are in it." The question is what allowed stupid politicians and appointees to rise up? Isn't it because the current constitution could care less even if somebody as stupid as Mr. Bean were president? If the person gets votes by plurality (such as the case of the late Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III and Rodrigo Roa Duterte) or majority (such as the case of Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.)--they're automatically the president. Even if the person is really stupid--popularity will put them in power.
I was reminded of the short reign of former Philippine president, Joseph Estrada, as well. It's because Estrada's secretary, Cheryl Salvaleon Jimenea, was an aunt of the two victims. Estrada was already known for being inept. Yet, Estrada won anyway because he got the most number of votes. If people could vote for people only because of popularity--that can provide a better explanation as to why the appointees in the judiciary end up the way they are. This reminds me that Mrs. Monsod is a graduate of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Yet, it seems that she can't see the need to amend the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines because of what happened.
What's more interesting that Hilario G. Davide Jr. was also part of the Supreme Court at that time. Davide Jr. was also related by marriage to both the Chiong mother and her sister. Davide's spouse is Virginia Jimenea Perez-Davide. Interestingly, the Philippine Star also shares this information regarding the motion for reconsideration:
Supreme Court spokesman Esmael Khan has confirmed that the tribunal en banc presided by Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. denied the convicts’ motions to reverse its Feb. 3, 2004 decision because there was no new evidence to warrant its reversal.
One must ask what really allowed the denial of the motion of reconsideration? Khan himself had said that Davide Jr. denied the motion for reconsideration based on the regional trial that concluded on May 5, 1999. I'd say that it's pretty much cause and effect. Davide Jr. ended up saying, "There's no need to revise the 1987 Constitution. It's the best in the world." Take note that I'm paraphrasing what Davide Jr. just said. I wouldn't be too surprised if Kishore Mahbubani of Singapore would facedesk if he heard it. Both Mahbubani and Davide Jr. were former UN diplomats and may have met each other several times. Meanwhile, the Singaporean justice system is said to be among the best in the world.
Meanwhile, it seems that one of the Monsod children, Trina Monsod, may now be seeing things differently. Hopefully, this can be an illustration that it's not enough to point out what's wrong but to find out the root cause of it.