oversight violation of the flag

I was able to take a photo of a beggar sleeping in the street using the Philippine flag as his blanket. This is a clear violation of the law- Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines, Chapter 1 I, article 34 which states, “it shall be prohibited (a) to mutilate, deface, defile, trample on, or cast contempt or commit any act or omission casting dishonor or ridicule upon the flag or over its surface; (e) to wear the flag in whole or in part as a costume or uniform; (f) to add any word, figure, mark, picture, design, drawings, advertisement, or imprint of any nature on the flag; (g) to print, paint or attach representation of the flag on handkerchiefs, napkins, cushions, and other articles of merchandise.” I have just learned that violation of this act, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not less than Five Thousand Pesos (P5,000.00) nor more than Twenty Thousand Pesos (P20,000.00), or by imprisonment for not more than one (1) year, or both such fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the court.

The question is, are we going to punish this beggar who is so innocent sleeping at the side of the street? I learned from my law school under a Scholarship (which I quit in a few week’s time, haha) that ignorance of the law excuses no one from compliance therewith. But it would be a waste of time, effort and money to go after this pauper, who has no malice and ill-will. His only concern is how to cover himself to keep him warm due to heavy rains. What could be in his mind when he found the flag may just be a piece of cloth without thinking that it is a sacred Philippine Flag. The owner of the flag has to assume responsibility. But no one would own the flag except the beggar. If you own a flag, you have the responsibility to check its condition – whether it is already worn out through wear and tear. If it is already worn-out, the flag should not be thrown away. It shall be solemnly burned to avoid misuse or desecration. The flag shall be replaced immediately when it begins to show signs of wear and tear which is described under RA 8491 section 14.

I remember one time when my friend shared to me how his customers immediately approached him to discuss their concern about the flag. One of his customers told him to check the flag because its color had been accidentally reversed. The red color of the flag was on top. It was also untimely because news about Magdalo cropped up. It was such an unforgettable incident.

In blogosphere, there is a need to be extra careful when placing a logo in our website specifically when a logo involves continue here>>