‘Addressing corruption should be a clear, visible, and urgent agenda’ – Senior Associate Justice Leonen

Tabuk City, Kalinga – “We cannot talk about integrity in the judicial system without talking about how to prevent corruption in the judiciary itself,” underscored Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Marvic Mario Victor Leonen during his recent visit in Kalinga.

The second in line of seniority at the Supreme Court, the chief justice being the first, personally came to Bulanao, Tabuk City to grace the 13th Leg of the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (CPRA) Rollout and IBP Northern Luzon Regional Convention on November 25 – 26.

Leonen, in his message on Monday, mentioned that members of the judiciary are called to serve well and with integrity now more than ever with the recent political developments in the country. Integrity, however, he said, cannot be mentioned without discussing how to prevent corruption in the judicial system.

“Allow me to stress, corruption weakens the rule of law and the confidence of our people in government.  The government is for all the people. It is not there to satiate the greed of the powerful and the rich,” he stressed, adding that those who engage in corrupt practices become an instrument to those in power.  

The senior associate justice further pointed out that corruption magnifies the sufferings of the people in the country and that addressing it should be the agenda of everyone.

“It[corruption] weakens our government, it weakens our institution, it weakens the ability of our state to serve our people in times of extreme need. We must ensure then that corruption has no place in our work. Addressing corruption should be a clear, visible, and urgent agenda for all justices, all judges, all lawyers, and all our stakeholders,” he emphasized.

To be silent amidst corruption because of fear contradicts who lawyers should be as they are agents of true justice, he said. Leonen likewise asserted there is no political person who is the messiah emphasizing, “walang magpapalaya sa atin kung hindi tayo mismo”.

He then proceeded to enjoining the lawyers to discover the narratives of the people hidden by inequality, poverty, and disempowerment.

“Our people suffer while we exist and while we enjoy the privileges of our titles, we should not fail them,” he concluded his message.

Senior Associate Justice Leonen was later adopted by Kalinga Province as its son, giving him the name ‘Wanawan’.