NEWS about the dropping of the demand for the death penalty on Sarah Balabagan is a positive development. But while Sarah's life was saved, justice seems to be evasive, for the possibility of imprisonment still remains. President Ramos's request for a lighter penalty and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) President's motion to commute her death sentence clearly shows the judgment of both governments: that Sarah is indeed guilty for defending her life and dignity.
The Philippine Government is quick to offer its heartfelt gratitude to the Al Baloushi family and the UAE Government over this development. It even went to the extent of calling on all Filipino overseas workers to 'obey and respect the laws, traditions and customs of the UAE'.
It will not be a surprise if President Ramos claims that the dropping of the demand for the death penalty on Sarah Balabagan was due to his own diplomatic efforts. The Philippine Government would unabashedly proclaim to its own people and to the world that its call for sobriety among its citizens and its proclamation of its respect and faith on the UAE judicial system were correct after all.
The Ramos regime is only fooling itself. The Filipino people never wavered in strongly denouncing the two succeeding verdicts on Ms Balabagan. Numerous protest actions led by Migrante International, Bayan and other concerned groups, were held not only in different parts of the Philippines but in other countries as well. These protest actions gained worldwide support from different foreign friends, groups and governments. All these efforts created a groundswell of international outrage which led to Sarah's death sentence being commuted. This also contributed to exposing the connivance of the UAE Government and the Ramos regime in the exploitation, oppression and neglect of migrant workers.
Now that the people's and the international community's protests are gaining ground, the choice left for the Ramos regime and the UAE Government, is to orchestrate a face-saving scheme. The UAE President's move to persuade the Al Baloushi family to drop the demand to commute the death sentence and consider forgiveness, the Ramos Government's encouragement for Sarah's parents to express gratitude and beg for mercy, the conditioning to accept payment of blood money and drumming-up a fund drive for this - all these moves are manoeuvres aimed to placate the international outrage and cover-up their human rights violations.
The Ramos regime, the UAE Government, the Singaporean Government and all other governments of labour-importing countries may have begun mastering the art of exonerating themselves. But the Filipino people and all peoples fighting for justice remain steadfast and vigilant against all forms of exploitation and oppression.