SENATOR Panfilo Lacson, Partido Reporma’s chairman and standard-bearer, said that the saga between Leonardo Flores and Robert Hong in the Pangasinan mango theft case is part of a bigger picture where big powerful crooks remain immune from the criminal justice system — a situation that he aims to end.

Pangasinan-based trucker and quarry worker Hong filed a complaint against his 80-year-old neighbor Flores for picking mangoes planted in a property he was looking after. Flores was detained on theft charges.

The case blew up in social media resulting in Hong going into hiding after receiving threats from netizens.

Lacson said that while he has done his part to help the two victims in the viral case, much remains to be done to ensure justice for all.

“This is the best that we can do to serve justice to all those who deserve it. It behooves us to look at the bigger picture. While ordinary thieves get the whip surely and fast, the big, powerful crooks stay big and powerful. It’s simply unfair and sad,” he said.

“Yet, it cannot be denied that the big and powerful crooks are still out there, free to continue abusing their power and stealing from ordinary taxpayers,” Lacson said, as he reiterated that the people must regain their sense of outrage against such injustice.

Last Thursday, Lacson dug deeper into the mango theft case and said that helping bring the truth to the public is the most he can do in the case of Flores and Hong.

He vowed to maintain a single standard in ending wrongdoing, including crime and corruption, with a combination of stern discipline and leadership by example. This is in line with his campaign to improve the lives of Filipinos and to stamp out theft and robbery.

Lacson got rid of erring policemen during his stint as the Philippine National Police chief from 1999 to 2001.

“Ubusin ang magnanakaw para maging maganda ang kinabukasan ng ating mga anak, ng ating mga apo at ng susunod na henerasyon,” he said.