They say that anyone who breaks the law and betrays the country should pay—but only in the Philippines will you see them being treated like royalty. A spacious cell that could have easily held a few hundred more crowded prisoners, a soft bed, and delicious food—it was almost like a normal life. They don't pay and show no remorse for the treachery they committed against the Filipino people; instead, they treat prison merely as a place to rest, so they can escape the public's criticism and anger.

This is how low justice is in the Philippines. The saying “there are no poor or rich in the eyes of the law,” is a big lie, because in real life, the wealthy and the politicians who end up in prison live like VIPs—while the poor who have broken the law face a living hell. According to standard international rules, all prisoners must be treated as human beings and not as animals in prison.

But in the Philippines, the poor who are crammed into prisons are treated like dogs, while famous people, especially politicians, are treated like saints—as if their consciences were spotless despite their betrayals and thefts from the country. A prime example is the newly imprisoned Bong Revilla. Not only did he betray our laws, but he's treated like a special citizen of the country in prison. The PNP's claim of “no VIP treatment” for high-profile individuals is a huge lie in the eyes of the public, because from what we are witnessing now, this is how ugly the face of our unequal system has become.

I still cannot understand why those high profile individuals cannot experience prison life as those ordinary individuals. Why do they deserve special treatment even though they already betray the entire country? They must face the consequences of their actions. They knew what they were doing from the start and decided to use their power in a dirty way. I believe that if you choose to betray the Filipinos, the power you hold as their official, must be taken away once you’re already in prison. They should be powerless and pay the price of their actions.

On the other hand, other claims that a high-profile individual cannot be placed directly to the wolves in a congested city jail due to security reasons. But this defense only exposes a deeper, uglier truth that our government admits our public jails are death traps—unsafe, unsanitary, and unfit for humans. Jails in the Philippines are the first hell poor people must avoid, if you are ordinary and you break the laws—you will suffer inside that hell.

Some shameless politicians are not afraid to disobey the law because they know deep inside, they will not suffer like other criminals do inside the prison. The system must be changed, whether you are poor or not, all individuals deserve care and must be treated equally as prisoners and not as animals. Politicians are not special people, they are criminals. I repeat, THEY ARE CRIMINALS. And no criminals can escape the law—they must pay.

The Frontman