BY ATTY. BATAS MAURICIO

LIFE’S INSPIRATIONS: “…All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God maybe thoroughly equipped for every good work...” (2 Timothy 3:16-17, the Bible). 

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WHERE IS WANING? Ok, the AFP has taken over a supposed encampment of around 100 outlaws led by Waning Abdusalam of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Payao, Zamboanga Sibugay. But where is Waning? And where are his trusted lieutenants? They were able to escape the military dragnet once again?

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MONITORING HOW P5 M DONATION TO MILF WAS SPENT: Assuming the MILF will submit a report on how it spent the P5 million which the Aquino government donated to it, is there a way by which Malacanang can countercheck if the report is true, and verify that this huge amount was not spent in buying the guns and bullets that were used to kill the 19 officers and men of the AFP in Al-Barka, Basilan?

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CITY JAIL LECTURE ENDS UP WITH A BIBLE STUDY AND PRAYER: Last October 26, 2011, I got a chance to go inside the Manila City Jail in Sta. Cruz, Manila  because I was brought there by Dr. Art Platon, a past president of the Rotary Club of Intramuros, upon the invitation of the Caritas, Tondo, Manila, a socio-civic organization whose members are helping jail inmates one way or another.

If you are not used to visiting places like the Manila City Jail, it would be kind of creepy the first time, because as you pass through its gates which are immediately closed behind you, and as you pass by rows and rows of tattoed inmates, you will be invaded by thoughts like, what if a riot would erupt, where would you go or hide?

Anyway, after waiting for about 30 minutes for inmates to come to the place where we were supposed to talk to them, a group of about 20 or so detention prisoners came, prompting us to proceed with our lecture.

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INMATES DECRY SLOW TRIAL: Wow! It was a devastating experience, because many of those who were present were all complaining about how slow their cases were moving, so that even if their complainants were no longer attending hearings and have displayed disinterest par excellence, they continue to be detained for as much as 10 years already!

While I promised to do something to help, as much as I can, I told them that there was only One who could really help them, and it is the greatest lawyer and judge of all time, God Almighty.

To me, that was the highlight of this visit, because I hammered in on them that even if they got nothing from me that afternoon about their immediate release from detention or about their other concerns, they would be winners through and through if they will always remember that God is good---and just---all the time, and that if only they would seek God all the time, His goodness will come upon them without fail.

Was I glad when, in response to that spiel, the prisoners chorused, “Amen”!

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Mabagal na pag-usad ng kaso, iniulat

INSPIRASYON SA BUHAY: “… Ang lahat ng Kasulatan ay kinasihan ng Diyos, at magagamit sa pagtuturo, sa pagwawasto at pagsasanay sa pagiging matuwid, upang ang mga manggagawa ng Diyos ay maging handa sa lahat ng mabuting gawain…” (2 Timoteo 3:16-17, Bibliya).

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NASAAN SI WANING? Ok, mabuti naman at nasakop na ng AFP ang sinasabing kampo ng halos 100 mga bandido na pinamumunuan ni Waning Abdusalam ng Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) sa Payao, Zamboanga Sibugay. Pero, nasaan si Waning? At nasaan ang kanyang mga tapat na tauhan? Natakasan na naman nila ang militar minsan pa?

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PAPAANO BA GINASTOS NG MILF ANG P5 M DONASYON NG GOBYERNO? Ipagpalagay ng magsusumite nga ng ulat ang MILF kung papaano niya ginastos ang P5 million na idinonasyon sa kanya ng gobyernong Aquino, may paraan ba ang Malacanang upang alamin kung ang ulat ay makatotohanan, at malaman kung ang halagang ito ay hindi ipinambili ng mga bala at baril na siyang ginamit upang patayin ang 19 na sundalo ng AFP sa Al-Barka, Basilan?

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CITY JAIL LECTURE, MAY KASAMANG BIBLE STUDY AT PANALANGIN: Noong Oktubre 26, 2011, nakapasok ako sa Manila City Jail sa Sta. Cruz, Manila matapos akong dalhin doon ni Dr. Art Platon, isang past president ng Rotary Club of Intramuros, ayon sa paanyaya ng Caritas, Tondo, Manila, isang organisasyong tumutulong sa mga nakakulong. 

Kung hindi ka sanay pumasok sa mga lugar gaya ng Manila City Jail, parang nakakakilabot sa unang pagkakataon ang iyong pagbisita, sapagkat matapos kang lumusot sa mga pintuan nito, isinasara agad ang mga ito, at habang nadadaanan mo ang napakaraming mga nakakulong doon na punum-puno ng tattoo, maiisip mo, papaano kaya kung nagka-riot, saan ka pupunta o magtatago?

Magkaganunman, matapos kaming maghintay ng halos 30 minuto sa mga detinido upang makausap namin sila, dumating ang halos 20 katao, at doon na nag-umpisa ang aming lecture. 

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MABAGAL NA PAG-USAD NG KASO, INIULAT: Wow! Tunay namang nakakayanig ang karanasang ito, sapagkat marami sa mga nakakulong doon ay nagrereklamo na ang kanilang mga kaso ay napakabagal ang kilos, kaya naman kahit di na sumisipot sa mga hearing ang kanilang mga complainants at nagpakitang wala na silang interest, nagpapatuloy pa rin ang kulong ng mga akusado.

Bagamat nangako akong tutulong sa kanila upang remedyuhan ang suliraning ito, sa abot ng aking makakaya, sinabihan ko silang iisa lang talaga ang makakatulong sa kanila, at siya ay ang pinakamahusay na abogado at hukom sa lahat, at ito ang Diyos na Makapangyarihan.

Sa ganang akin, ito ang naging tampok ng aking pagbisita doon, sapagkat ipinukpok ko sa kanila na bagamat wala man silang nakuha mula sa akin ukol sa kanilang agarang paglabas o iba pang naisin, ituturing pa ding nanalo sila ng lubos kung aalalahanin nila sa lahat ng sandali na mabuti ang Diyos---at makatarungan--- at kung hahanapin lamang nila ang Diyos, darating ang Kanyang pagpapala.

Ang laking tuwa ang sumapuso ko ng sumagot silang lahat ng “Amen”!