Supreme Court (SC) Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen stressed that combating corruption must be a clear priority across all branches of government, including the Judiciary, warning that silence in the face of wrongdoing makes officials complicit.
Speaking at the 2025 Sikhay Laban sa Korapsyon (SiLaK) forum organized by the Office of the Ombudsman, Leonen stressed that action against corruption should be “clear, visible, and urgent,” adding that it must no longer be concealed, excused, or allowed to persist within government institutions.
“When we hide corruption out of fear or guilt, we ensure an unjust society… Remaining silent in the face of all of this, especially when we have the duty to be the voice of our people, makes us complicit,” he said.
Leonen said recent disclosures of misconduct reveal deep systemic fractures and indicate that the ideological foundations of governance must be critically examined, adding that increasing public scrutiny reflects a more engaged citizenry that is demanding accountability from those in power.
He noted that corruption in the Philippines is tied to historical and structural conditions, including political dynasties, oligarchic influence, and regulatory capture, which weaken public services, widen inequality, and erode trust in government.
The senior magistrate shared that the Judiciary is pursuing reforms under the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022–2027 to improve transparency, efficiency, and access to justice.
Among these reforms, according to Leonen, include digitalization initiatives such as e-filing and wider access to jurisprudence, decentralization through Regional Court Management Offices, specialized courts for corruption-related cases, and training for judges and personnel on anti-graft laws and digital evidence, along with the use of videoconferencing for remote proceedings and exploratory work on artificial intelligence tools.
Calling for what he described as “genuine leadership,” Leonen urged public officials to place public service and social justice above titles or prestige and encouraged citizens to hold leaders, including judges and justices, to higher standards of integrity.
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