‘With deadlines to face daily the broadcast news media had little recourse but to take the muddled police versions of the ‘crime’…’
THE presumption of innocence is hardly evident on the suspects in the alleged homicide and rape of flight attendant Christine Dacera. Most were thrown of their jobs, and one, a PAL employee, lost his apartment. After their names and faces were flashed on social media and on TV, they have turned into objects of a public outcry almost overnight, promptly qualifying them for a trial by publicity. A high price to pay for one drunken, rowdy night and for a city police force hungry for the distinction of solving the “crime” in 24 hours even before the killings and rape were lawfully confirmed by proficient medico-legal officers.
Just to be sure of a “sensational” accomplishment report the Makati Police probers initially filed a preposterous and unheard of criminal rap, a provisional charge of rape with homicide. Since when has a criminal case become “provisional?”
Two of the respondents have recanted the alleged use of drugs on that night of partying with Dacera, claiming the police had pressured and intimidated them into signing their alleged fabricated affidavits in exchange for their release. The public, it seems, is more inclined to believe the suspects had indeed drugged Dacera that possibly caused her death.
With deadlines to face daily the broadcast news media had little recourse but to take the muddled police versions of the “crime” incident, with the names and photos of the suspects thrown in for a huge image as the solid burning story of the day.
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As I continue to convey Biblical truths for our people to wake up to the reality of an abundant life away from poverty, allow me to lift the following from businessman and broadcaster Ted Ledding’s book, From Rags to Riches (How God Blesses His People). “In order to prosper, our souls must prosper, and our souls, in order to prosper, must be made brand new, reprogrammed with information from God’s word. A prosperous soul is a soul filled with God’s word. God wants us to constantly engage in the process of converting our souls from the world’s ways to His ways. Traditions, customs and the way people have always done things often nullify the effectiveness of God’s laws. Jesus said in Mark 7:13: Making the Word of God of none effect through your tradition. As we constantly renew our thoughts, feelings and emotions with God’s word, we will think, talk and act more and more in line with the way our Father thinks, talks and acts.”
Complying with the Ten Commandments is a perfect example of obeying and living God’s word to embrace true worship of our God and Creator, along with respect for life, honesty, holiness, righteousness, forgiveness, kindness, mercy and fairness. And then, believers can look forward to sufficiency in life and prosperity. Jesus came to also “preach the Gospel to the poor” and those grounded on Biblical work should do no less.
