Mass murder mastermind Andal Ampatuan Jr. living like a King

The head of our country's Criminal Investigation Division, the top unit responsible for maintaining peace and order in this country, sees nothing wrong with mass murderer Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. enjoying his alleged "incarceration" inside the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) with catered food and with privileges of using his mobile phone. Witnesses and at least five of my NBI friends saw Datu Unsay living like a King inside the "detention cell", complete with amenities like mobile phones and laptops.

And do you know the reason why almost everybody with a criminal mind flaunts the law everytime? Because many Filipinos, especially those with wealth see the criminal justice system like what the CIDG chief sees it---a system without any system.

Our "justice system" is a system without justice. If you violated the system and you are wealthy, you can enjoy the "perks" while in jail. But, if you violated the system and you are poor, no perks at all. Fact is, you'll be the resident chuwawah, the lowest of the low, of the brigada.

What's the reason why civilized societies created the very concept of "incarceration"? It is to prevent the prisoner from enjoying certain liberties, one such liberty is communication with the outside world. How in the world would this mass murderer even differentiate that of being jailed and that of being outside the cell when he can actually enjoy the perks he had when he was a free man inside the supposed "detention cell"?

Yet, for the chief of the Criminal Investigation Division, nothing wrong with allowing a serial killer, the mastermind of the most gruesome crime ever committed in the history of this country, living la vida loca inside jail.

Nothing wrong with a mass murderer, a friend of the palace, as what former spokesperson Lorelie Fajardo described him, enjoying sumptuous catered food and calling his amigas and amigos while slumped in an air-conditioned cell.

And absolutely no wrong with allowing Andal Ampatuan Jr., the most vicious drug lord and warlord of Maguindanao, living the high life inside the jail. This is not, actually, something new.

Jaloslos, convicted child rapist, had his own resort carved out of Muntinlupa.

High profile inmates such as the killers of a UP student, enjoy spending time gaming and Facebook-ing, inside their kubols in Muntinlupa. 

And who will forget Calauan mayor Armand Sanchez, whose kubol can be likened to a medium-rise condotel?

Laws are supposed to be applied equally. Justice is supposed to be blind in this country. And the scales are supposed to be "balanced" in favor of the truth and of laws.

Here, the scales of justice precariously tilt in favor of the one heavier with gold coins.