On 23rd November 2022, Repubblika flooded the headlines with outrage. They demanded the resignation of the Home Affairs Minister and the Police Commissioner, blaming them for the brutal murder of Bernice Cassar. They wrapped themselves in moral virtue, preaching solidarity with every woman failed by the system.
They claimed to be the voice for victims. They demanded the state protect every woman at risk. They postured as Malta’s self-appointed moral compass.
But fast forward to two weeks ago — and watch how fast that same moral compass shatters when the abuser is one of their own.
Just two weeks ago, Robert Aquilina, Repubblika’s own co-founder and self-anointed “Rule of Law” messiah, was interrogated by the Domestic Violence Unit after his wife, Jeanette Aquilina, filed a report against him. Within days, he was arraigned in court — accused of domestic violence and illegally arresting his wife.
The police didn’t treat this lightly: a formal risk assessment concluded Mrs. Aquilina’s life and safety were in serious danger. Worse still, sources confirm this wasn’t a one-time outburst — but a cycle of abuse kept behind closed doors.
Jeanette Aquilina, the same as so many battered wives, tried to drop the charges. And this time, Magistrate Lara Lanfranco happily obliged. The charges were suspended.
So what did Repubblika — these self-proclaimed guardians of women’s rights — do? Did they stand with Jeanette Aquilina, like they did with Bernice Cassar? Did they call for justice, protection, or resignations?
No. Not a word. Not a line of solidarity. Not a single demand for accountability. Nothing.
Why? Because this time, the accused was Robert Aquilina — their own co-founder. The same Robert Aquilina they parade as a hero when convenient. The same man they protect in silence when it’s about his own violence at home.
When it was Bernice Cassar, Repubblika roared for the cameras. When it is Jeanette Aquilina — they keep their mouths shut, because defending her means exposing their own.
This is Repubblika’s real face:
• Loud when it’s politically useful.
• Dead silent when it threatens their inner circle.
• Hypocrites who weaponise victims to attack rivals — then abandon real victims when they get too close to their “saint”.
Bernice Cassar deserved better. So does Jeanette Aquilina. And Malta deserves far better than Repubblika’s two-faced, selective morality.
