LES MISERABLES

 [Edited from August 26, 2011 at 12:42pm]

“Remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.” (Luke 16:25)

I’m frustrated. And exasperated. 

Seething as I wonder why this is still our kind of system. The system of our government. Our judicial system.

I have a close relative who was employed as ordinary worker, actually earning way, way below the minimum wage.  But every payday, he was compelled to sign a blank document, if not statement averring he was paid in prevailing rate. That’s irregularity in employment practice.  Yet regularity in payment, on paper, for peace.

He was merely a helper-laborer hired by untouchable Transparent Contractor, Inc., which was, still is, owned by Mayor Immaculate and family.  That company was the ‘winning,’ ahem-ahem, bidder-contractor of a public construction project of the mayor’s saintly municipality.

My relative is now incarcerated.

Reason, he was charged, along with two other companions, for qualified theft, for allegedly selling two sacks of scrap iron. 

I repeat scrap iron, to a junk shop for 850 pesos, I repeat 850 pesos, to stress a point for general information.

The three were immediately detained after having been reported by the mayor to the police. After a “hot pursuit operation” cliché, since they were not caught in flagrante, that is.

This is the beauty of democracy, people reported to be stealing millions, billions, but remain scot-free. People reported to be stealing scrap iron worth 850 and they are detained automatically.

I don’t know about you but I think I heard my dear friend Webster said the word “scrap” means something like old or refuse metal, discarded after use.  Something of a waste, a thrash, a garbage, like a master’s crumbs that drop down the floor where the dogs scramble as hunger’s a surety if you lose.

Ahh, the joys of penury.

I remember again the story about a dedicated police Inspector Javert and his relentless “hot pursuit operation” against one Jean Valjean in the name of rule of law only.  Starting from a simple theft of a loaf of bread for his sister’s seven children starving desperately, Valjean was hounded and hunted by Javert almost throughout eternity.

My relative is just another datum indeed in the statistics about men’s justice. Since birth I saw his roots’ struggles, most of their years were colored drab. In the vastness of an ocean called life, he’s just a mere insignificant crab.

Like most of us who are just trying to make each day count despite being bereft of love.  Love from politicians who are rich and powerful, but deep within, are also les miserables.