Instant

Unjust justice.

Nowadays, no one wants to endure the delayed path to justice in the country anymore. As the Filipinos are now seeking for instant justice, these aggrieved masses take the media as their quickest bastion of hope. Who does not want an instant justice, anyway?

Tulfo Justice is the brand of instant justice today. Raffy Tulfo in Action is now a household name for the poor, the troubled, and the oppressed. This media show surfaced the news after its controversial November 18 episode where a teacher was put into public trial and worse, was made to choose between facing criminal charges and having her licence revoked in an instant. All of these because of allegedly humiliating her Grade 2 pupil when she made him sit outside the classroom for the whole period because of not returning his report card.

For the end does not justify the means, the instant justice that this show brings can never sugarcoat the unjustness of the process.

It unveils the sorry state of our justice system. Its process which is trial by publicity, where proper forum is disregarded, is a lucid violation of due process. Subjecting the accused to hectoring, criticizing, and public shaming is unjust in itself.

It is hypocrisy to provide justice in an unjust way. Providing justice right away, even to the expense of bypassing the protocol, mocks not only the judiciary branch but also all the concerned government agencies who are already robbed of their authority.

The Tulfo justice is partial, irrational and subject to quick compromise. In the case of the teacher who was given disproportionate punishment, Tulfo overlooked the fact that under the Family Code, teachers are actually given the responsibility to act in loco parentis, hence the need to instill discipline in the children, punishment for that matter if necessary. In fact, Tulfo was not even right in saying that the act of the teacher is a form of child abuse because as per RA 7610, there was no clear intention to debase, degrade or demean the intrinsic worth of the child.

Situations of people turning to media for instant justice also reflects our questionable culture. Apparently, we always want things to be done, in our own way, in just a snap. Anent, Tulfo in Action is always bombarded with issues, many of which are very personal, which could be settled privately, and some are just really petty.

Tulfo justice is instant. While it may seem instant, the hasty verdict it offers is putting the concerned individuals in limbo. If Tulfo is indeed for public service, he should be someone neutral and should serve as the mediator in resolving the issues. The right of the people to be heard adequately in the proper forum, and to be protected against self- incrimination should be inviolable. Really, no one is above the law, not even Tulfo.

Certainly, Filipinos are fond of shortcuts. May it be in cooking foods, getting information, or communicating with someone. Nevermind these, but justice is not instant.