“An accused's flight is 'universally conceded' to be admissible as evidence of consciousness of guilt and thus of guilt itself.” State v. Jones, 292 N.C. 513, 525, 234 S.E.2d 555, 562 (1977) (citation omitted).
The rule in North Carolina is that flight of an accused may be admitted as some evidence of guilt. However, such evidence does not create a presumption of guilt, but may be considered with other facts and circumstances in determining whether all the circumstances amount to an admission of guilt or reflect a consciousness of guilt.
Proof of flight, standing alone, is not sufficient to amount to an admission of guilt. An accused may explain admitted evidence of flight by showing other reasons for his departure or that there, in fact, had been no departure."
We now know that the Philippines’ First Gentleman- Mike Arroyo left for Hongkong on the eve of the Senate testimony of Joey De Venecia. As widely speculated, De Venecia implicated the First gentleman in the $300 Million corruption scandal. Opposition Senator Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. was quoted as saying, "Flight is a proof of guilt", referring to Arroyo's departure.
Moments after the explosive testimony, San Juan Mayor JV Ejercito was quoted saying that the President and her husband is being hit by Karma for supposedly having influenced the court, a few days ago, to convict his dad, ex-President Joseph Ejercito Estrada, for plunder.
As quoted above, “Flight alone is not an admission of guilt”. However, in this country rocked by successive scandals, the President and the First Gentleman is duty bound to address this issue head-on.
"Torna a Surriento..." Please come back immediately and face your accusers, Ahora!
As for JV Ejercito's staments, I beg to disagree. His dad was convicted by the court for having failed to demolish the testimonies of people like Clarissa Ocampo, among other things. On the other hand, Mike Arroyo, is yet to be convicted.
JV Ejercito's father, at this point, is a convicted criminal who’s yet to appeal the court decision. And besides, Mike Arroyo’s conviction, if ever it will happen, does not mean that his dad is innocent.
In the same manner that succeeding presidents in South Korea were convicted for corruption related offenses, and in the same manner that Jimmy Swaggart got caught after condemning his enemies Marvin Gorman and James Bakker for the same offense- immoral conduct, Mike Arroyo’s conviction does not, an innocent man his father make.
Justice for all.
To the gallows for them, criminals, all!
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