WHY I WON'T CAST THE FIRST STONE AT JANET NAPOLES

WHY I WON'T CAST THE FIRST 
STONE AT JANET NAPOLES

"Do not mind anything that anyone tells you about anyone else. Judge everyone and everything for yourself." HENRY JAMES 

By Alex P. Vidal

Unlike some of my impatient and angry fellow Filipinos, I will not cast the first stone at Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged chief operator of fake NGOs (non-government organizations) that siphoned billions of "pork barrel" funds for the last 10 years.
I will not even condemn her in my Facebook and Twitter accounts. I will never "share" caricature of the woman whose face had been disfigured to look like a pig. I will not laugh while others agonize in shame and humiliation. I always put myself in the shoes of others. Human heart can easily be consumed by hatred. Only God can pass the final judgment.
Now that she has been incarcerated (she was ordered arrested with no bail recommended not for the alleged P10-billion "pork barrel" scam but for illegal detention), I will wait for justice system to grind. In legal parlance, she must be given her day in court; she is still presumed innocent until proven otherwise. 

ALLEGATIONS

I have no reason to hate the woman based on allegations written in the newspapers and broadcast on TV and radio. I don't know her personally; and it is not in my competence to determine whether she is sinner or saint.  
In our Christian Living, we were taught to hate the sin, not the sinners. We were taught not to throw the first stone if we live in a house of glass. We were told not to do unto others what we would not want others do unto us, and so on and so forth.
I am more interested on the big fish -- the high-ranking government officials, the SIN-nators and representa-THIEVES who committed plunder and amassed unexplained wealth by cavorting with Napoles. These are the public servants in cahoots with Napoles who betrayed the Filipinos. Why are they still scot-free and enjoying their "pork"-subsidized lavish lifestyle while Napoles is behind bars?
Let's wait for proper charges to be filed against Napoles, et al and for their conviction in the court of law (not in the court of public opinion) based on solid evidence (paper trails of the PDAF transactions).  

PRAY

Instead of joining the mob baying for Napoles' blood, we prefer to pray and ask enlightenment from God.
Lord, we come to You in prayer before we begin to analyze the shocking "pork barrel" report before us. We recognize that the Commission on Audit (COA) report is the information we need in order to assess the issue properly and fulfill our responsibilities as purveyors of truth.
We ask You, Father, to help us analyze this story that has been circulating in social media accurately and to draw from it what we need to make wise decision.
Show us, Lord, not only those things that are obvious, but also those that are not really apparent to the natural human eye. Increase our understanding. If there is more information needed, help us to determine what it is and how to go about getting it.

ASSIMILATE

Help us to be able to assimilate vital data and facts about the scandalous item in the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) and to reduce them to their bare essentials. Amid the tumult that has resulted in restlessness among the middle class and the hoi polloi, give us discernment to notice any trends, either positive or negative, that are developing within our country. Help us to take the information and knowledge we gain and use it to better carry out our duties. We pray, in Jesus' name, amen.