ATTY. GLORIA ESTENZO RAMOS
We are living in an interdependent world where what our children hear, see, feel, and learn will affect how they grow up and who they turn out to be?” Hillary Rodham Clinton, It Takes a Village
There has never been a more tumultuous era in contemporary times as that in which we are living in at present.
What long-term and perhaps irreversible damages are inflicted in the hearts and psyche of our children as they witness, and some are themselves victims, to and of the violence, vulgarity, rapacity, uncertain and sordid environment that prevails?
We wish we can spare them from these demeaning acts of self-destruction by humans but we know we cannot. We can only teach them to learn from them, be determined to do right and elevate their sense of self-worth, dignity and justice.
Children are looking for mentors and guidance from their parents, family and us for principled and selfless leadership, so badly needed more than ever.
The month of August finds us celebrating the life and heroism of Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino. His martyrdom on August 21, 1983 triggered the doom of the Marcos dictatorship that ended when the awakened citizenry and those from government decided enough is enough: the dictatorship must end.
We thought we were on our way towards a full-blown realization of democratic values where the Rule of Law governs and human rights protected. We believed our Constitution has enough safeguards in place to strengthen institutions and accountability mechanisms to ward off dangerous experimentations that lead us back into a dreadful authoritarianism.
Among the disheartening developments last week involved three young lawyers who were arrested and detained while in the act of protecting their client during a police implementation of a search warrant. The lawyers had every right to be present and is even expressly provided for in section 21 of RA 9165, the “Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.” Their arrest was seen as stifling those rights and of their clients, and to instill fear not just in the citizens but even among lawyers who are vanguards of justice and are considered officers of the court.
The infringement of fundamental rights should never be countenanced. Government exists to serve the people and not the other way around.
We strongly urge government to investigate and hold accountable those who are abusing their authority.
Our fate as a nation depends strongly on women, men and the youth who fight for that freedom and democratic values.
As our hero, Senator Ninoy Aquino, said, “We should not depend on one man; we should depend on all of us. All of us are expandable in the cause for freedom and therefore I say stand up now and be a leader, and when all of us are leaders, we will expedite the cause of freedom.”
Our children are looking at us as their hope for a better tomorrow. Let us not fail them.