Two Sides of the Same Coin: Justice and Peace

TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN: JUSTICE AND PEACE Melduard Hernandez One of the issues that made a mark on Philippine history is the Vizconde Massacre. As what Justice Officials say, “It is a long road back to 1991.” The big questions were: “Why Hubert Webb and others accused are acquitted by the Supreme Court?” “Who are the real suspects of the case?” and “Why eyewitness Jessica Alfaro is considered as false witness?” The case was shrouded in mystery since it took place. The symbol for justice is a scale, and it is not appropriate if we are going to connect it with the Vizconde issue. A scale also represents equilibrium. It is most often depicted as a set of scales suspended in the left hand of a blindfolded woman, upon which she measures the strengths of a case’s support and opposition. But how can we obtain justice if it is really hard to get? Is justice already gone with the wind? There is one saying telling: “Justice denied anywhere diminishes justice everywhere.” If we are going to analyze the statement, it somehow implies that if there comes a point when justice is neglected or not granted to anyone, then over time, justice loses its value. No one will believe in it because it fails. This, therefore, means that everyone deserves justice. Justice, as we all know, is invaluable – it can’t be obtained by paying of properties, estate, belongings, possessions, or even realty. Justice is not measured by a party’s social status, whether they belong to the elite society or not. Justice is all about the concept of divine and moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, legal law, natural law, religion, and principles of fairness or equity, along with the respective punishments of the breach of the said ethics. There is another saying that goes: “Peace and justice are two sides of the same coin.” This means that even though something seems different from another, they are just a formidable duo. Peace, on the other hand, is somewhat needed by the persons