As expected, Justice Secretary Boying Remulla is being bashed in the social media after his son figured in an issue involving illegal drugs which is yet to be proven beyond reasonable doubt.
Juanito Jose Diaz Remulla III, 38, is the eldest son of the good Secretary and is also a nephew of Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla.
When the news broke out, Sec. Remulla was in Geneva, Switzerland, leading the Philippines delegation in the 51st Regular Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council Enhanced Interactive Dialogue on the Philippines.
After learning of the incident, he issued a handwritten statement that made the rounds on social media. Here is what he had said, verbatim: “I am both a father and the Secretary of Justice, roles that I take very seriously. We all know about unconditional love, but at 38 years old, he (his son) will have to face his predicament as a fully emancipated child.
I have to abide by the oath of office I took when I assumed this position. To make everything clear: 1) “I will not intervene in nor influence my son’s predicament, and I have not done so in any way; 2) A person should always face the consequences of their actions and I will let justice take its own course; 3) I thank the PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) for doing their job without fear or favor. I have no conflict with them; 4) This is a very difficult time for me and my family. But this is nothing compared to what so many Filipinos are going through. I will respect the justice system and I wish my son a path to redemption.”
As it is, the family of Remulla must be very devastated about what had happened. We can only hope that the Secretary’s mother, who I learned is already 87 years old, will be spared from the stress that the problem will surely bring to their family. Let us not be quick to judge them, specially Justice Secretary Boying Remulla. No father or parent, for that matter, would like his child to go through the same kind of situation like the SOJ’s son did.
What the Remullas are going through right now is also being experienced by countless Filipino families, maybe even in a worse manner.
No matter how hard a parent tries, he or she can only do so much.
In the case of the Remullas, the son of the SOJ, at 38, is definitely no longer a minor. He already leads a life of his own and as such, we cannot expect his parents to have total control of his life and all the things he does.
It is highly unfair therefore, to subject Sec. Remulla to any form of bashing, moreso, demand for his resignation.
His son may be a suspect but just like any other accused, he is innocent until proven guilty.
Now granting for the sake of argument that Sec. Remulla’s son is eventually found guilty of the crime he is accused of, it is still not right to pin the blame on the SOJ and undermine his capability to run the affairs of the Department of Justice with utmost dedication and efficiency.
Is the sin of the son also the sin of the father? Or vice versa? Of course not!
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