How to Get Away with Murder in the Philippines

Last week a former Army sergeant was arrested in a drug bust.

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1771092/Manila/Local-News/Ex-army-man-yields-P13-M-shabu

POLICE arrested a former army personnel who yielded at least P1.3 million worth of illegal drugs in a drug bust, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Guillermo Eleazar said on Friday, October 26. 

Eleazar said Johnven Arnaiz, 40, a former Philippine Army personnel, was arrested along with his cohorts identified as Valentine Arnaiz, 52 and Joseph Gabatbat, 37, at around 5 p.m. of October 25 at the parking lot of a mall in BF Homes in Parañaque City.

This article in the Sunstar and other articles such as the one in the Manila Bulletin leave out a very crucial detail about this man which the Inquirer does include.

According to NCRPO chief, Director Guillermo Eleazar, Arnaiz was a former sergeant in the Philippine Army, but was discharged from service after he was charged with seven counts of murder. 

He became the city’s top criminal and was detained at Muntinlupa police station in September 2017 but was later released after he settled the cases with the families of the victims. 

Drowned in debt and kicked out of the Army, he then turned to illegal drugs business after acquainting himself with fellow inmates involved in illegal drugs.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1047265/drug-sting-nets-ex-army-sergeant-2-cohorts-in-paranaque

This man was charged with seven counts of murder. He killed seven people. But instead of spending the rest of his life in prison he "settled the cases with the families of the victims" and was released! Likely he paid the families off because next we learn he was drowning in debt and turned to selling drugs.

There is not a whole lot of information about this man and his murders.

The No. 1 MWP, Johnven Arnaiz, 39, was arrested Wednesday afternoon on Lopez Avenue, Barangay San Isidro. 

Rosete said Arnaiz was charged with murder and five attempted homicide cases filed in Muntinlupa Trial Courts.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2017/09/21/roundup-news-in-and-around-metro-manila-sept-21-2017/

That is it. A notice of his arrest in the Manila Bulletin last year. But no details. One would think that if an Army sergeant was charged with murdering seven people and then was released from custody because he paid off the families such a story would make national headlines. Strangely that is not the case. What a travesty of justice.

It's not even a travesty of justice. It's the complete absence of justice. It's bribery. How much is a life worth anyway? Can you put a price on one? What kind of state does not prosecute a man for killing seven people just because he "settled the cases the families of the victims?"

So how can you get away with murder in the Philippines? Simply pay off the victims families.

How can anyone dare to say justice is being served in the Philippines with a situation like this? The justice system in the Philippines needs a real overhaul including jury trials and local prosecutors who will use the power of the state to put away dangerous criminals despite whatever "settling" is done between criminals and victims.