His Own Soldier

Bribery, because of its very nature, is always difficult to prove or disprove. Hence the raging word war between Court of Appeals Justice Jose Sabio, Jr. and businessman Francis Roa de Borja, both of whom have deep roots in this city, will only get worse as both sides hurl innuendos in an attempt to chip at the other’s credibility.
To be fair, Justice Sabio stands to lose more in this proxy war. I say proxy war because ultimately, both are waging but a small battle, a skirmish even, in the bigger war between the government, through the GSIS, and the Lopezes for control of MERALCO.
Justice Sabio’s coming out with guns blazing is understandable. He can not, after all, afford to have somebody question his integrity, and by extension, the Court’s.
Because, make no mistake, what is at stake here is the Court’s integrity and independence even more than Justice Sabio’s.
By coming out with the alleged bribe offer Justice Sabio is in effect saying that in this country even court decisions can be bought for the right price. Justice Sabio is in effect saying that not even the Judiciary, which among the three co-equal branches of government have so far remained above the rough and tumble, transactional politics of both the legislative and executive departments, is immune to corruption.
Various sectors have been quick to call on the Supreme Court to investigate the bribe try and the Supreme Court has in fact scheduled to tackle the matter on Tuesday en banc.
But the damage has been done. While previously the Judiciary, courtesy of the perceived independence of current Chief Justice Reynato Puno, has been relatively unassailable, Justice Sabio’s coming out in the open has cast doubts on the integrity of the remaining institution that the people trust.
Let us only hope that in going to battle, Justice Sabio is soldiering only for himself.