Cong Corrales “Semper necessitas probandi incumbit ei qui agit.” – 1585 Latin maxim A WEEK ago a news report from one of our correspondent gave me goosebumps all over. There was something terribly wrong about the pronouncements. It doesn’t take a legal eagle to see what’s inherently wrong about the pronouncements of the law enforcers in the report I was editing that time. The news report was about the newly installed Northern Mindanao police director Chief Supt. Agripino Javier saying, nay, ordering former Lugait town mayor Willie Lim, former Iligan mayor Lawrence Cruz, and former Iligan congressman Vicente Belmonte to “immediately submit themselves to an investigation.” The news article quotes PRO-10 spokesperson Supt. Surki Sereñas as saying, “The purpose is to conduct investigation with their help para mahatagan sila og katin-awan kung unsa ba kining mga allegation against kanila.” Methinks that if this “order” does not send chills down your spine there is something terribly wrong with your concept of justice and democracy. Remember that we live in a democratic republic and live under the rule of law and not of men. The investigation, if you call that one, is for the three politicos to “explain themselves and to hear their official reaction to their reported involvement in the proliferation of illegal drugs in the region.” Sereñas also said he will not confirm if the names of the three politicians were not included as part of the illegal drug trade because “all report gathered were based on intelligence report and was submitted directly to Malacañang.” The only consolation the law enforcer is offering is that Camp Alagar is certain that the inclusion of their names as issued by Digong Dada “has its own basis.” Please note that the allegation and “reported involvement” stems from President Digong Dada’s supposed five-inch thick list of narco-politicians he has been bandying about in almost all his speaking engagements. These pronouncements disturbed me enough to go to Google. I wanted to find out if I am alone in thinking that the burden of proof lies on the party who declares an accusation. The online search led me to the 1585 Latin maxim I quoted in the beginning of this column. The Latin maxim when translated to English means: “The necessity of proof always lies with the person who lays charges.” I’m frightened by the thought that highanking law enforcers are ordering people to submit themselves to an investigation based on Malacañang’s say so. If the narco-list is to be taken as an accusation, then I submit that the burden of proof should lie on Digong Dada and his lackeys and not on the politicos on that list. Plus, let us not forget the presumption of innocence. This means it is our critical constitutional right to have the government proves us guilty of a crime rather than prove ourselves innocent – ergo, government has the burden to proving a criminal accusation and the accused is always innocent until proven otherwise. I suspect this so-called list of narco-politicians is the new euphemism for list of political rival and dissenters. This republic is indeed doomed if Digong Dada and his lackeys go on with this construct.