Into the labyrinth of the Philippine justice system
You need to see this movie.
Francisco “Paco” Larrañaga was 19 when he was arrested, tried, and found guilty of the rape and murder of Marijoy and Jacqueline Chiong. For the past 15 years he has maintained that he is innocent, that he was not in Cebu when the crimes occurred, that he was not acquainted with the Chiong sisters or all his six co-accused. The former culinary school student underwent a judicial trial memorable for its bizarreness, and the kind of trial by publicity that makes one wonder whether the media is even interested in feigning objectivity. Larrañaga has been sentenced to two terms of life imprisonment, then death, then life imprisonment again, and now exile in a Spanish prison. Under the rules of the Spanish penal system, he could get parole – if he admits that he committed the crimes he has vehemently denied. Welcome to the Theatre of the Absurd, as lived by Paco Larrañaga of Cebu, Bilibid, and now Spain.
Read Give Up Tomorrow: Into the labyrinth of the Philippine justice system, our column at InterAksyon.com.
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