A Two Tierred Justice System?

 

The Supreme Court suspended lawyer Jesus Falcis III from the practice of law for one year for simple misconduct following a 2018 social media post.

With that said, prominent human rights advocate Atty. Dino Singson de Leon recently looked at the supreme disciplinary mechanisms of the legal profession, and decided to ask the Supreme Court a wonderfully uncomfortable question:

"Why is it that an ordinary private lawyer gets disbarred for failing to file a motion on time, but a lawyer-mayor who physically assaults a court sheriff, and a lawyer-VP who publicly boasts about hiring a hitman (no joke) are still walking around with their titles fully intact?"

It turns out that the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability has a hidden, unwritten clause: Article 1-A: The "Do You Know Who My Father Is?" Exemption.

Let us take a nostalgic trip down memory lane to look at the first exhibit in Atty. De Leon’s portfolio of unequal standards.

Once upon a time in Davao, a certain lawyer-mayor decided that the best way to handle a court-mandated demolition order was not to file a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO), but to personally deliver a multi-punch combination directly to the face of a court sheriff.

[ THE LEGAL DISCIPLINE SCALE ]

* Scenario A: An ordinary lawyer uses a curse word in a pleading. -> Result: Immediate suspension, public reprimand, moral degradation.

* Scenario B: A Duterte-class lawyer executes a three-punch combo on a judiciary employee. -> Result: "Let's give it some time. She was stressed. Let's study the context for a decade."

If an ordinary private attorney punched a sheriff during a property dispute in Quezon City, they would be disbarred before the sheriff’s black eye even turned purple.

But when you are a regional dynasty ruler, a physical assault on an officer of the court is apparently viewed as an "innovative, non-traditional method of alternative dispute resolution."

Atty de Leon also mentioned the current, real-time drama of 2024–2026.

The same lawyer, having climbed all the way to the Vice Presidency, held a press conference and casually announced that she had contracted a professional assassin to eliminate the President, the First Lady, and the House Speaker if a specific plot against her life succeeded.

When the nation gasped, her defense team essentially argued: "Guys, it was just a hypothetical, emotional contract killing! It’s called rhetorical flourish!"

Atty. De Leon is pointing out the supreme comedy of the situation: If a private practitioner so much as hints to a client that they know someone who can "take care of" an annoying witness, the NBI is at their door by sunset.

But if you’re the Vice President, threatening the executive branch with a pre-paid hitman is treated like a colorful figure of speech that requires "deep analytical interpretation" from the high tribunal.

The netizens have smelled the coffee that we have almost a Two-Tiered Justice System in place.
Atty. De Leon’s plea to the Supreme Court highlights the stark contrast in how the law treats the elites versus the everyday workforce:

-The Everyday Attorney
-The Offense: Forgetting to update your Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) units.
-The Penalty: You are barred from practicing law and treated like a fugitive from justice.

-The Sovereign Lawyer-Politician
-The Offense: Verbally threatening to decapitate the President and desecrate a national cemetery.
-The Penalty: You get a prime-time television slot, 15 security guards, and a political committee defending your "freedom of expression."

-The Sovereign Paradox: The Supreme Court expects ordinary lawyers to behave like modern saints—impeccable manners, pristine language, and absolute deference to the rules.

Meanwhile, the political lawyers are running around treating the Revised Penal Code like a casual suggestion booklet.

Atty. Dino de Leon’s question is a satirical masterpiece because it exposes the ultimate elephant in the courtroom.

The public is being asked to respect the rule of law while watching the very gatekeepers of the law treat criminal liability as an optional character trait.

If the Supreme Court wants the public to believe that the standards of the legal profession apply to everyone, they might need to pause the disbarment cases of small-time attorneys who bounced a check, and finally address the giant elephant in the room who keeps talking about hitmen, decapitations, and stinking fish.

In the grand theater of Philippine justice, the law is like a spiderweb—it catches the small flies, but lets the giant hornets rip right through.

Until the standards apply to the barongs in Malacañang and Davao the same way they apply to the regular offices in Ortigas, the lawyer's oath is just a beautiful poem we recite before entering the VIP lounge.

Irony VS Double Standard

Our group was in our usual selves of mindless scrolling on our FB pages today, and we stopped our compulsive flipping when we saw the post of Atty. Race del Rosario RN.

DDS: "Namimigay lang ng P500 fuel subsidy si Leni, gagawin ninyo agad, Presidente."

Kakampinks: "Nagnakaw na si Sara ng P448 million, gagawin ninyo pa ring presidente?"

My friends reacted right away.

Friend A: "This is IRONY of the highest order."

Friend B: "I'd rather call it a DOUBLE STANDARD.

There we go again... my friends are fighting over a "Two-for-One Special" of stupidity. 

Sino ba ang tama ... sino ba ang mali? O baka naman pareho silang tama ... or parehong mali?

The answer is yes. You are currently witnessing a masterclass in why irony and double standards often hang out together, like two friends at a party who refuse to leave.

So, tama sila pareho? Does that mean irony and double standards are synonyms?

Hindi rin. Pero kalma kayo muna, and we'll try to explain this as simply as possible.

Irony is a SITUATION. It’s the punchline of a cosmic joke - meaning in the chaotic reality of life ... sometimes it plays a trick on us by delivering results opposite to our plans, leading to a profound realization that our human seriousness is actually quite absurd.

There is always that inevitability of contradiction where the universe intervenes to make things turn out the opposite of what is expected, often thwarting human efforts, such as the Titanic sinking despite being deemed "unsinkable".

When you observe a fire station burning down, you’re baffled by the sheer, tragic comedy of the contradiction.

Imagine fire station na nga ... nasunog pa? IRONIC nga.

So how does the exchange between a DDS and Kakampink become ironic?

• The Situation: We have two potential Presidents. One is criticized for giving aid (a gas subsidy), and the other is defended for allegedly pocketing public funds.

• The Irony: It is objectively hilarious that in this country, anything is possible. The act of giving is framed as a liability, while the act of stealing millions is framed as an asset. It’s like a chef being fired for cooking a not-so-delicious meal, while the guy who burned the kitchen down is promoted to Head of Dining.

The irony lies in the unexpected contradiction: We expect the person holding the public funds to be the one protecting the money, and the person offering aid to be commended. When that flips, you have irony because of the contradiction. It is the "Wait, what?" factor.

Now, let us go to Double Standard. A double standard is a moral failure. 

It is not a literary device (like irony); it is a weaponized rulebook. 

It is the "Rules for Thee, but not for Me" policy that governs the hearts of partisan fanatics. How did the exchange between two warring camps become a Double Standard?

• The Method: This is where the fanatical brain does its gymnastics. If you are an opponent, your actions are judged by a microscope; if you are an ally, your actions are judged through a soft-focus lens.

• The Logic:

  • Target A (Leni): Must be a Saint, an Economist, a Legal Genius, and a Mother Teresa figure just to be considered "competent."

  • Target B (Sara): Only needs to exist, have a famous surname, and breathe air to be considered "qualified."

This is a double standard because the metric of measurement changes based on the identity of the person.

It isn't a contradiction of logic (like irony); it is a contradiction of ethics. 

You are using two different yardsticks to measure the exact same thing: Presidential fitness.

Can it be both? Absolutely. 

In fact, most of Philippine politics is a "Two-for-One" deal where you get a Double Standard for the price of one Irony.

Here is why my friends are both right:

The Situation (The Irony): > It is ironic that a country claiming to want "anti-corruption" leadership is actively campaigning for someone accused of budget-skimming, while ignoring the person who actually accounted for her gas subsidies.

The Behavioral Failure (The Double Standard): > It is a double standard to demand "perfection" from the former, while practicing "extreme forgiveness" for the latter.

To put it simply:

• Irony is the observation that the scenario makes no sense. (e.g., "Wow, isn't it weird that we hate people who give us gas but love people who steal our money?")

• Double Standard is the hypocrisy required to actually hold those two opinions simultaneously. (e.g., "It’s wrong when you do it, but it’s a 'strategic necessity' when my team does it.") Example: Duterte's legal team argued that impeachment complaints against President Marcos were dismissed quickly (within three days) for lacking substance, while complaints against her were treated as "established truth even before trial begins".

The reason why my friends are confused is that they are looking at the same beast from different angles. 

One friend is laughing at the absurdity of the scenario (Irony), and the other is furious at the unfairness of the rules (Double Standard).

The next time this comes up, with you and your friends, you can simply tell them: "You’re both right. It’s an Ironic Double Standard."

Irony Of Life

Mabait ako through and through pero today I had this "wake-up call." Sa sobrang kabaitan ko ... I realized  parang nagagamit na ako.

Noon tahimik lang ako ... at lahat na aking ginawa ... yon ay dahil mahal ko sila.  Pero napansin ko ako lang pala ang nagmahal ... it was only a one way street. Isang pagmamahal na hindi man lang naibalik ... it was a case of unrequited love.

Napanood ko nga sa mga teleserye at pelikulang Pinoy ... noon ako pa ang may duda at nagtatanong "meron bang ganoong sitwasyon in real life?" May mga character na ang panaghoy ay tapunan man lang sila ng konting pansin. Phrases like "kahit konting pagtingin ..." "Palimos ng pagibig" at Gaano Kadalas Ang Minsan?"

Palimos ng pagibig? Pati pag-ibig nagmakaawa na ... parang pulubi sa kalsada na naghihingi ng barya ... awa ... at limos?

Ang dami kasing WALANG PAKI ... dagdagan pa ng mga naglipanang ABUSADO who only care about themselves.

Sa mga da-barkads kong pareho ang sitwasyon ... mahalin at unahin natin ang ating sarili. There is no use chasing the love of your friends or family or partners.

Kung wala silang panahon para sa atin ... let us make TIME for OURSELVES!

Kilala Mo Ba Ang Sarili Mo?

KIlalanin mo ang iyong sarili: 

Ikaw ba ang taong "HAWAK" ang pera mo? O ikaw ang taong "HAWAK" ka sa leeg ng pera mo?

This Is The Life I Want

Don't let others DEFINE you ... and don't let their words CONFINE you. 

You DEFINE your own life. Don't let them DICTATE and WRITE the script for you.

You are in charge of your life ... and you are at the helm. Do whatever you want to do with confidence and trust ... because there is no limit to what you can accomplish.

Don't let anyone make you believe otherwise. And lastly ... don't set yourself on FIRE ... to keep others WARM.

Irony of Life

Sa bus kahapon may isang taong buong giting ang nagsabi: "PANGIT daw yong habambuhay kang PALAMONIN."

Wala akong intention na makinig sa kanilang pinag-usapan pero hindi ko mapigilan na tingnan ang source ng statement because of his audacity to say what is on his mind ... in public.

In fairness ... PANGIT siya!

Only In The Philippines

Dito ka rin makakita ng taong walang trabaho ... pero ang tapang nangungutang.

Ng taong walang hanapbuhay ... pero masaya siya dahil walang stress.

Ng taong istambay ... pero laman siya sa kalye at nakatambay sa mga taong maghapong nagtatrabaho.

Ng taong mga inactive ... pero active naman sa tsismis at walang baho ang hindi naamoy.

Ng taong walang silbi ... pero huwag kang magsalita against him at sila ay maramdamin at allergic sa nanunumbat.

Ng mga taong unoccupied at walang ginagawa ... mortal sin kung siya's utusan dahil hindi naman sila kasambahay.

Ng taong kung gumising ay tanghali na ... pero pagkatapos mag late breakfast ... inaantok na naman at gustong matulog.

Ng taong akala sa sarili sila ay prinsisa ... bawal ang pawis at lalong ayaw ng kalyo sa kamay.

Ng taong gusto ay palaging healthy at walang sakit ... pero gusto magkasakit sa bisyo na sigarilyo at alak.

What a sad reality.

The Irony of Life

 We see this daily, and, sadly, it is happening. We see sons and daughters who are close to newfound friends ... but never invest their time or make any effort to get close to their parents. 

Parents who give nothing but love ... who make parenthood their full-time career ... but were never appreciated.

Irony Of Life

May nagreklamo sa akin.  Pansin niya wala na ba akong magandang salita tungkol sa kanya?

Sagot ko: "Kung ano man ang sinasabi ko ... all I did was describe him the way I see it. I call a spade a spade. Yon lang yon. kung nasaktan siya ... karapatan niya yon."

The Irony Of Life

It is a big irony.

Ikaw ang TINATAKBOHAN ng lahat ... pag sila ay  may problema.

Pag ikaw naman ang may problema ... para kang nagiisa ... pakiramdam mo NAGSIPAG-TAKBOHAN ang lahat at ayaw nilang ma-involve sa iyo.

Irony of Life

Look who's talking! I mean the people criticizing Showtime's hosts ... at ang mga panlalait nito sa kanilang mga guests.

Matumal ba ang trabaho at walang masyadong ganap kaya makisakay muna sila sa kabayo? Ang problema ... masyado lang silang banal at kapitapitagan. Galit sila sa mga pangwalanghiya at mga pangbu-bully ng kabayo ... pero hinihiya nila ngayon at binu-bully ang kabayo. So ano ang pagkaiba ng dalawa?

Bakit marami sa mga bashers ang nakikita at pinupuna ang pagkamali ng iba ... pero ang linis linis ang tingin sa sarili? 

Sinubukan ba nilang balikan ang mga comments nila ... hindi ba panlalait din yon? Mas matindi pa nga ... Pinalitan ba naman ang madlang people ng madlang pulpol. Ang Showtime ... to Shametime. 

If what he said is true na gagawa siya ng midnight show, did they expect madlang pulpol to patronize their product now that they started alienating them? Totoo nga ang kasabihan ... ang magnanakaw galit sa kapwa magnanakaw.

At ang mga nanlalait ... galit sa kapwa manlalait. Irony of all ironies. Galit sila sa mga naninira ... pero gawain rin pala nila.  At mas matindi pa.

Oo Nga Naman

It is ironic. Ikaw na nga ang nagbigay ng pagkain sa isang libreng hapunan ... 

Tapos mapapraning ka pa kung kailan ibalik ang mga kutsara at pinggan.

Naka-relate ka ba?

Irony of Life

It is ironic. Mark Lorence Bazan - anak ng labandera ... at magsasaka ... Magna Cum Laude. "Labandera si mamang ko at magsasaka si Papang ... pero hindi hadlang ito para makagraduate ako.

Juan de .... anak mayaman ... tinitingala sa lipunan ... at sinasamba ng mga kababaihan ... Magna Na Kaw ... leader ng gang ... hindi nakakatapos ng pagaaral. "Akala ko noon walang katapusan ang biyaya ... nabulag ako sa konting kapangyarihan at popularidad natamo ko. Pati pala yon may expiration date?"

This I Promise YOU

It is ironic. Political campaign promises are a dime dozen.  Everybody does it ... it is COMMON and there's no value to it. They are plentiful as to be valueless. 

A dime is an American coin worth 1/10 of a dollar (10 cents). So they are cheap and worthless. Consider these examples:

THEN: Promisa ko sa inyo ... my government will be free from all corruption.

NOW: Promisa ko sa inyo ... my government is free for all ang corruption.

Irony of Life

It is ironic. Ang taong kumukutya sa iyo ... ay mas halang pa ang bituka compared do you?

Where do these people get the audacity to JUDGE you ... when all the time the things he CRITICIZES you about ay gawain din pala nila.  At mas malala pa ... pero kung umatake ...walang preno! At napakabanal!

NAKITA mo ang mali ng iba pero .... BULAG ka sa mga masamang ginagawa mo. Creep!

Feling Viictimized?

 

This is one irony of life:

-Nagagalit din pala ang mga MANGUNGUTANG kapag sila ay INUUTANGAN ... at hindi nababayaran.

- Nagagalit din pala ang mga MAGNANAKAW ... kapag sila ay NINANAKAWAN.

-Nagagalit din pala ang mga TSISMOSA ... kapag sila ay NATI-TSISMIS.

-At nagagalit din pala ang mga SINUNGALING - kapag sila ay biktima ng KASINUNGALINGAN.

Simply put: bakit patuloy mong ginagawa ang mga ginagawa mo ... at OA naman ang reaksiyon mo na feeling biktima ka talaga? Bakit ka galit kung ikaw ay ninakawan ... inuutangan ... pinagtsismisan  ... at pinag-sinungalingan? Di ba gawain mo rin yon?

So why turn 360 degrees and feel so sanctimonious and hypocritical when given a dose of your own medicine? Why moralize ... or feel victimized when you are doing the same thing?

Big deal ba ang magiging BIKTIMA? It is morally wrong  and outright a miscarriage of justice na mas gusto mo na lang maging ipokrito ... na kailangan mong magreklamo kung kinakailangan ... at kung ikaw naman ang nambibiktima feeling entitled ka na walang masama sa mga ginagawa mo.

This looks too self-serving ... and a double standard too.

The Irony Of Life

The Irony of Life

 

Which Side Are You?

 

Aling kampo ka ba?

1.  Maikli lang ang buhay ... huwag nating sayangin ito.

2.  Maikli lang ang buhay ... please sayangin mo na sa akin yan!

http://viewpointandmindset.blogspot.com

Two Ironies

 

Two ironies.  Choose your poison.

1. I am so emotionally DRAINED and exhausted because I think EVERYONE is my responsibility.

2. He was so emotionally DRAINED and exhausted ... because he believed he was EVERYONE'S responsibility.

http://viewpointandmindset.blogspot.com