A Robbery Tells the Story of Philippine Legal Ineffectiveness

In mid-November of last year, a small-time gangster got drunk in the Cavite Province city of Silang, a city of 250,000 about 45 km south of Manila, and shot up a motel, which got him arrested. Shortly after, he was visited by another member of the gang, who was overheard assuring him not to worry.

“Don’t worry,” the gang member said, according to a polic…