I AM KICK-starting an Innocence Project in the Philippines, with the goal of freeing those who have been wrongly convicted.
This is actually not a new idea, this was probably started in the United States about 40 years ago, but sad to say, it has not yet reached our shores until now, that is.
As of now, we have already formed an organizing committee composed of the DNA Analysis Laboratory under the UP-College of Science (UPCS), the PNP Forensic Group, the UP-Sigma Rho Fraternity (SRF) and the UP-Law Karapatan ng Komunidad sa Loob ng Selda (KAKOSA). We still have to formally invite the UP-College of Law, and we are also in the process of accepting the Philippine Law School-College of Law.
DNA analytics is going to be the main technology that will be used for this project. It is such an exact science, and by using DNA evidence, it could be proven without any doubt that a convict in prison is actually innocent, and therefore he or she should be released.
Conversely, DNA evidence could also be used to convict those who are guilty. Joining our organizing committee is Dr. Maria Corazon de Ungria of UPCS, Atty. Leonardo de Vera, Mr. Rick Rocamora and Mr. Lino Atienza of SRF and Col. Reynaldo Calaoa of PNP, assisted by Lt. Col. Thess Bodo.
The way this project is shaping up, we are probably going to invite many legal minds, starting with the SRF lawyers. We will also need more technical experts, who will probably come from UPCS, PNP and KAKOSA.
DAILY TESTING OF WATER SAFETY
I have already written about water safety for many times, but I will not stop doing it, and I will keep doing it, because water security is very important to us.
Water security is part of food security, and water security is also part of health security. At a higher level, it is actually part of national security.
In a previous essay, I wrote about the existing practice of bi-annual or annual testing of water safety. In that essay, I argued that water testing should be done weekly, and if possible, daily. Who should be doing the regular inspections?
I know that the water concessionaires are doing it, and the Department of Health (DOH) is also doing it. But in addition to that, I think that local government units (LGUs) should also do it.
Some could argue that the LGUs could probably not afford to buy the equipment to do it, but what is the price of human life and public safety?
If the LGUs could not afford to buy this equipment on their own, they should just provide incentives to the private companies within their jurisdictions. That way, these companies could become their service providers.
Assuming that the LGUs could not decide on their own whether to buy this equipment or not, then the civil society should already enter the picture in order to convince their elected officials to do so. After all, there are provisions in the law for representatives of the civil society to attend council meetings.
If that does not work, then the civil society could initiate a signature campaign for a people’s initiative. Yes, a people’s initiative can be done at the LGU level!/PN
