Shadow of Doubt

Ok. This is not a book review.

I had, for a long time, been wanting a copy of the book, Shadow of Doubt. Just like (almost) everyone else, my interest was due to the controversial nature of the book and its unique subject, the Supreme Court of the Republic of the Philippines. I also just had to buy another book by Marites Vitug, the gutsy author of an earlier but equally riveting book, Under the Crescent Moon: Rebellion in Mindanao.

I initially tried to buy one from National Bookstore here in Davao City. Unfortunately, my father had inquired about it in the bookshop's Gaisano Mall Branch and an employee had told him the book had sold out.

Next, I inquired about the book in the SM Branch and the manager told us the uncomfortable truth: National Bookstore is not distributing the book in one way or another. Apparently, management had found it prudent to not clash with the powers-that-be probably for fear of any political backlash.

The manager's revelation pretty much left a sour taste in my mouth ( I guess I won't be patronizing National Bookstore any time soon, that I can tell you). Imagine that: the biggest bookstore in the country to date, one of the bastions of information and free speech, is refusing to market and distribute a book that is bound to reveal the sinister machinations occurring under the political underbelly of one of the most respected institutions of the land. Whew.

That's "playing it safe" and that just doesn't sit well of me (Of course, you got to hand it over to National. They've got a lot to lose now that they're a giant).

After that incident, I pursued purchasing the book online instead. The book's website detailed some simple instructions and I went about sending a purchase order through email. It turned out no one was paying attention because nobody replied to my email.

Then, out of the blue, my sister brought home a copy of the book. It came from a client of their bank, a lawyer who just had the right connections. I had the honor of reading it first and it was a very sweet read (although I think that's not the first reaction it was meant to evoke). More importantly, the book stirred a lot of questions, questions about the integrity of the court and the administration of justice in the land, questions which, if not answered and addressed properly, will prove to be a detrimental factor to our nation's development. You get the picture.

As a final say, I believe every library in the country should reserve a spot for this book in their shelves, if not as an icon of excellent journalism then maybe as a reminder of how fragile justice can be in this country and what it takes to make our judicial system work.