By Mortz C. Ortigoza
When I was in a
huddle with some politicians in a recent government function, I eavesdropped on
the conversation between a lawyer and his lawyer-son regarding my recent column
titled “The Immoral Senator De Lima”.
I wrote there that the controversial and hated lady
senator could not be sued by the People of the Philippines because her offense
of concubinage was a private crime.
It means it was only Norlyn Magalanes Dayan, the wife
of De Lima’s paramour her driver Ronnie, who could sue her with that criminal
case and no other person or institution.
“Are concubinage and adultery supposed to be public
crime?” the lawyer asked his son.
“No, it’s only rape”.
When I bumped into fellow radio commentator Ruel Camba, I
told him about the lawyers and that private crime.
“Ina-antay ko lang i correct ako ng old lawyer that concubinage is not a private crime, e ni researched ko
iyong anak ng bakang column ko na iyon,” I told Ruel with a funny bravado.
“This is the first time I heard about private crime, I thought all crimes are public,” he excitedly quipped.
"No, it's just like toilets, may private toilet may public toilet din," I sheepishly retorted.
"No, it's just like toilets, may private toilet may public toilet din," I sheepishly retorted.
Private crime, to the uninitiated who read this blog,
is an offense which cannot be prosecuted except upon a
complaint filed by the aggrieved party (batasnatin.com).
Do you know
that a reader, a niece of a congressman, of my blog reacted on that same
column?
