‘No common sense’ in Revilla plunder acquittal —Juana Change

As activist Mae "Juana Change" Paner sees it, former Senator Bong Revilla's plunder acquittal in connection to the multi-billion-peso pork barrel scam could inspire people to go out and protest as they did during the 2013 "million people march" in Luneta.

"Huwag kayong magtaka na kami ay lalabas na naman sa kalsada para mag-protesta kung nagawa na din natin noon na lumabas ng daan-daang libong tayo sa Luneta," Paner said in an interview on "Balitanghali" shortly after the verdict on Revilla.

She was referring to the so-called million peoples march in August of 2013 in which protesters occupied Luneta Park in a call to abolish the pork barrel system after the P10-billion pork barrel scam engineered by businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles was revealed.

Paner slammed what she sees as the lack of common sense in the Sandiganbayan decision on Revilla's plunder case.

The court ordered Revilla's release, but his co-accused Napoles and former aide Richard Cambe were committed to prisons after being found guilty of plunder.

"Ngayon ay lalaya pero 'yung mga kasama niya hindi naman acquitted katulad niya. Parang, papaano nangyari 'yun? It's so hard to understand kasi parang wala siyang sinusunod na common sense," Paner said.

"Siguro naman ang hustisya dapat may common sense," she added.

During her interview, Paner lamented that the country's justice system was going to  a certain  "direction."

The activist compared the fate of ousted Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno to the likes of Revilla and former first lady Imelda Marcos, both of whom have been slapped with graft charges.

"Tingin ko, sa tinutungo ng justice system kung saan alam naman natin ang mga tulad kay Sereno na natanggal sa trabaho, mga katulad ni Bong Revilla ay makakalaya, di ba?  Si Marcos ay hindi natin makulong," Paner said.

"Kinakailangan ng bayan ang ating boses. lumabas tayo, magsalita kumibo at tayo'y lumaban," she added. —Margaret Claire Layug/ LDF, GMA News