NO BLIND EYE

I dont attend wakes of people I dont know.

President Benigno Aquino III gave this excuse when reporters demanded an explanation
regarding his absence at the wake of the recently slain Jennifer Laude.

Aquino, who has been repeatedly slammed by the Laude family due to the slow development of
Jennifers case, asserted his discomfort in condoling with people who do not know him.

On October 11, Laude, a transgendered woman, was found dead in an Olongapo motel. The
primary suspect behind her murder is said to be US Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton whom she
was last seen with on the eve of her demise.

Since the issue broke into the public, netizens have released images mocking the Presidents
sorry excuse, pointing out the fact that millions of Filipinos attended the wakes of his
parents Ninoy and Cory albeit not knowing them personally (both of whom are credited for
being icons of democracy).

The President should be reminded of his campaign promise- what ever happened to his
Kayo ang boss ko rhetoric when clearly he does not know his constituency?

His arrogant response is only indicative of his administrations reputation of turning a blind eye
towards the exploitation of the nameless and voiceless individuals of Philippine society.

The fifth anniversary of the heinous Ampatuan Massacre nears without any conviction in sight.
Meanwhile, the Philippines remains the third most dangerous country for media workers, adding
to its pile up of unresolved media killings the 25 journalists slain under his term.

Human Rights Watch and The International Federation of Journalists have criticized Aquino and
his administration for failing to protect journalists and for failing to address media killings in the
Philippines.

Yet the President could only once again retort to his snide remarks and sorry excuses.

He boasts of the return of press freedom during his term and claims that most of the journalists
in the Philippines were not slain in their line of duty.

He even implied that these journalists were killed due to their irresponsibility and unethical
behavior, therefore justifying their murders.

Nefarious as it may seem, Aquino has placed the blame on these victims of impunity and
washed his hands on the numerous murders involving the countrys watchdogs.

Despite declarations that his administration is currently investigating human rights violations,
Aquinos words remain empty promises as bodies pile up on body, adding more bloodshed to
the mound of unknown corpses his administration fails to acknowledge.

The putrid decay of the Aquino administration is worse than ever, yet Aquino remains clueless
and presses on despite the pungent odor of his presidency.
He and his elite cronies continue to tread on his self-proclaimed tuwid na daan and tells the
media to pay no attention to the obvious ruin of his administration and the rotting scent of the
countless human rights violations occurring during his term.

While his antics are clearly far from being sensitive, he still has the nerve to demand sensitivity
from the media.

He urges media workers to report with accuracy and positivity so that the news would uplift the
spirits of his people, yet the media, unlike him, cannot bear to turn a blind eye against these
bodies which have surrounded Aquinos reign as the Impunity King.

The list of the nameless and the voiceless goes on.

To the Aquino administration, Jennifer Laude is just a victim of a hate crime against the LGBTQ
community, just another case to study and another rotten cadaver to dispose.

Justice remains missing in action, and impunity thrives and feeds on society as perpetrators get
away with speedy legs and bloodied hands.

Yet the Filipino people, despite Aquinos ruthless attempts of concealment and deception, are
unlike the president.

To them there is no blind eye to the ghosts of the nameless.

To them there is only the harsh yet prevailing truth.