1

Speech delivered by Chief Justice Maria Lourdes P. A. Sereno during the 24th National Convention Seminar and Biennial Election of the Philippine Trial Judges League, Inc. (PTJLI) on October 11, 2017 in Palo, Leyte

Marami pong salamat, mga minamahal kong kapatid sa hudikatura.

Taos-puso po akong nagagalak na nandito po ako sa piling ninyo ngayon.

Naalala ko po nung 2012 nagsama po tayo sa Fort Ilocandia [Resort

Hotel] (crowd mumbles 2013) — ah sabi nila 2013 daw iyon oh, 2013 po.

Tinanong ko nga po kay [Philippine Trial Judges League, Inc. (PTJLI)

President] Judge [Ricky C.] Begino, sabi niya sa akin 2012. Pero marami pong

salamat at ikinagagalak ko na nakasama ko kayo ngayong hapon. (Crowd still

mumbling) Ano po, may sinasabi kayo? 2013 iyon, March? Ay hindi po, iyong

gusto ko pong sabihin iyong nasa PTJLI po tayo, 2012 ano po? Ayun po, sa Fort

Ilocandia. Nandito po ako noong March 2013, [Leyte] Governor [Leopoldo

Dominico Petilla] at [Leyte] Councilor [Ciriano Andres Sr.], kaya iniinsist nila

na 2013, kaya nagkaroon ng unang kalituhan. And I remember napakaganda

ho ng lugar na ito. And I thought na pagbalik ko, medyo kalungkutan, ngunit

nung dumating ako, ang sabi ko eh ang ganda ganda, simula sa airport

hanggang sa hotel, napakaganda po at ngayon na nakita ko itong hotel, naka

recover na talaga [from Typhoon Yolanda]. Harinawa ay tuloy-tuloy ang

pagunlad, hindi lamang ng mga siyudad ng Palo, Tacloban, Ormoc, at iba pang

2

magagandang bayan ng Leyte, kung hindi ang buong lalawigan ng Leyte at ng

mga karatig pa po nito, ang buong Region XIII. Mabuhay po kayo! (applause) At

gayun din po ang Region XIII judges, mabuhay po kayo sa inyong maalab na

pagtanggap sa aming lahat dito. Salamat po. Maaari po ba hingi tayo ng special

mention at patayuin ang mga Region XIII judges? (applause) Salamat po.

(Thank you very much, my beloved brothers and sisters in the judiciary. It is

very heartwarming that I am here with all of you today. I can still remember

when we were gathered together in 2012 at Fort Ilocandia [Resort Hotel]

(crowd mumbles 2013) — oh some are saying that was in 2013. I asked

[Philippine Trial Judges League, Inc. (PTJLI) President] Judge [Ricky C.] Begino

and he said 2012. But I am very thankful and happy that I am with all of you

this afternoon. (Crowd still mumbling) What is that you are saying? It was

2013, in March? I think you got me wrong, I meant when we were together for

PTJLI — that was 2012, right? Yes, at Fort Ilocandia. I think the cause of

confusion was because I was here last March 2013, right [Leyte] Governor

[Leopoldo Dominico Petilla] and [Leyte] Councilor [Ciriano Andres Sr.]? That’s

why some of you are insisting March 2013. And I can still remember how nice

this place was. I thought that coming back would be sad, but to my surprise

when I came back everything was beautiful — from the airport, to the hotel —

it was all beautiful and now looking at the hotel, you have truly recovered.

3

Looking forward, I wish for your continued recovery and progress, not just for

the cities of Palo, Tacloban, Ormoc, the other beautiful towns of Leyte, but also

the entire province of Leyte and its neighboring towns and the entire Region

XIII. Long life to all of you! (applause) And of course, the judges from Region

XIII, my warmest gratitude for your hospitality, thank you very much! May I

please ask the judges from Region XIII to rise and be recognized. (applause)

Thank you very much.)

Kagalang-galang na Silvestre Bello [III, Department of Labor and

Employment Secretary], na maraming umaasa na magdadala ng kabutihan sa

kabuhayan nating mga Pilipino, natutuwa po ako na nagkita tayo muli.

Governor Petilla, na guwapong anak ng napakagandang Alkalde [Remedios

“Matin” Petilla]. At Councilor, salamat po talaga. Judge [Ireneo] Illustre —

asan si Judge Illustre — Judge De Leon, salamat po for hosting — [Municipal

Trial Court] Judge [Anabelle S. Donasco-] Balledo, nagkamali kami — salamat

po sa paghost. DCA (Deputy Court Administrator) Jenny [Lind R. Aldecoa-

Delorino], so si DCA Jenny po tinatanong ko kung kamusta, maganda naman

daw po ang morale ng mga huwes dito sa lugar na kaniyang sinusupervise. And

of course, President Ricky Begino, salamat po at inimbita ninyo ako dito

(applause). Alam ninyo po eh naalala ko po at babalik po ako doon sa time na

nandoon tayo sa Fort Ilocandia, marami ho akong memories noon at mamaya

4

ay babalikan ko sa aking sasabihin. But allow me to speak both in English and

in Filipino. (Honorable Silvestre Bello [III, Department of Labor and

Employment Secretary], whom a lot of Filipinos are counting on for good

news on livelihood programs, I am very happy to see you again. Governor

Petilla, the handsome son of one of the most beautiful Mayors, [Remedios

“Matin” Petilla], and Councilor, thank you so much. Judge [Ireneo] Illustre —

where is Judge Illustre — Judge De Leon, thank you for hosting — [Municipal

Trial Court] Judge [Anabelle S. Donasco-] Balledo, oh we made a mistake —

thank you very much for hosting. DCA (Deputy Court Administrator) Jenny

[Lind R. Aldecoa-Delorino] — so I’ve been asking DCA Jenny, who’s assigned

to supervise this jurisdiction — how the atmosphere here has been, and she

said the morale of the judges is very good and positive. And of course,

President Ricky Begino, thank you for inviting me here today. (applause) I will

always look back and reminisce about that time at Fort Ilocandia, there were

just too many memories, and later I will go back to those in my speech.)

And let me begin with a memory. It happened when I was a young

lawyer, and all of us were young lawyers once, and still it remains — we are

still young, actually, noh? (right?) Lahat tayo (All of us) — it remains

particularly stark, specially now as I head one of the three branches of

government.

5

Almost fresh out of passing the Bar — and for all of us, those memories

of our first years of practice, we cannot forget them — I handled the case of a

carpenter, a neighbor of a gardener who was accused of killing his employer.

Dinampot yung gardener nang walang pasabi at walang warrant, binugbog

hanggang sabihin na lang niya ang unang pangalang pumasok sa isip niya:

yung pangalan ng kapitbahay niya. Kasi hindi daw sila titigil hanggat hindi sila

makakuha ng mga pangalan. Kinailangan ko ngang maglamay sa presinto para

masigurong makakauwi iyong aking kliente nang buo at buhay. (The gardener

was picked up by the police without any warrant; he was beaten up until he

said the first name that came to his mind: his neighbor’s name. He said that

those that picked him up would not stop beating him up until they got a name.

I had to stay with him at the jail in order to ensure that my client will be safe

and alive.)

Personal pa rin ang hapdi ng mga kuwentong tulad nito; at kayo naman

lahat po palagay ko may mga ganoong personal po kayong mga karanasan

(Stories like these always carry a personal burden on me, and I know that

most of you here also have a similar personal experience) — stories of

injustice that pain our hearts. I’m sure that as judges you know that until we

feel pain in our hearts, we know that our hearts are still beating correctly

6

when we see injustice. In fact, that is the reason why we are judges, because it

pains us to see injustice.

We were young once, and all of those stories are formative for all of us,

including Secretary Bello, who was once known as a very strong human rights

lawyer. I remember all those legends, Secretary. (applause)

At least, for me, what that story did to me is to refine my sense of

outrage at injustice, it sharpened my desire for fairness and life. And fairness,

of course, calls upon us to construe the law with a recognition, an openness, to

the plight of those among us who are in the margins. At sa mukha ng mga

taong tulad ng hardinero at karpintero sa alaala ko: mga taong wala man lang

pamasahe papunta sa presinto, mga breadwinner ng pamilya na inaasahan ng

mag-anak niya para sa susunod na almusal. Lahat ho tayo, lalo na ngayong mga

huwes na kayo, first-level, alam ninyo po ang mukha ng kahirapan. Alam ninyo

po iyong mga nakikita ninyong nanggaling pa sa malalayo at naghahanap ng

hustisya at umiiyak ang puso nila sa atin: hustisya kasing halaga ng pagkain.

(And to those like the gardener and carpenter in my story: they who do not

even have a single centavo to commute to the jail, the breadwinners of their

families, whom their loved ones look up to for their next meal. All of us,

especially to you, first-level court judges, you know the face of poverty. You

know those who’ve come far and wide crying for justice, to them justice is

7

valued just as much as food on the table.) I firmly believe that for each poor

person upon whom injustice is done, five others — his entire family — suffers.

At alam po natin iyon, naririnig po natin sa mga kawani man lang natin na

lubog na sa utang, naririnig natin kung gaano naapektuhan ang pag-aaral ng

mga anak niya. Paano pa po iyong mga napagkakaitan ng hustisya na

dumudulong sa ating korte kung paano nila ikukuwento ang kahirapan ng

kanilang buhay na lalong nalulugmok dahil sa kakulangan ng paginob ng

hustisya. (And we know it, we’ve heard it from our staff — those deep in debt

— we’ve heard how their children’s schooling has also been affected. What

more for those who have been deprived of justice when they go to court, how

will they share their life story — deep in poverty — that will just be overcome

by lack of justice.)

Every injustice, especially when it is done to the poor, draws us further

into a spiral of hopelessness and crime. Conversely, doing justice ignites, at

every turn, a cycle of faith: In our systems, in the law, and in each individual’s

capacity to seek refuge in the law. It strengthens a person’s belief that playing

by the rules will allow you to move forward. Hindi kailangang magsinungaling,

o manlamang, o mandaya para umangat sa buhay. Ito po ang pinakapayak na

kahulugan ng hustisya. (We do not need to lie, or wrong others, or cheat in

order to get ahead in life. This is the most basic definition of justice.)

8

I am certain that with all similar stories that you bear in your memories:

of people trampled upon by the powerful and well-connected few, of those in

the margins seeking refuge in the law. You, my beloved judges of the first-level

courts especially, are our frontliners in the courts, you know the anguish of

our people; you stand as daily witness to their frustrations. Rinig na rinig

ninyo po ang kanilang mga daing sa buhay. (You hear firsthand the anguish in

their lives.) And if you are anything like me, these stories serve to stir our

consciences, individually and collectively, and pull us back on course, towards

our true North [Star] as judges. For me, these stories serve as a constant and

powerful reminder of why I entered the law profession in the first place.

You see, as some of you may know by now, growing up, I was one of

those people in the margins. Laking Kamuning po ako; kung mayroon pong

taga-Quezon City sa inyo, naiintindihan ninyo ang ibig sabihin kung ikaw ay

batang Kamuning: laki ka sa kalye. Sa public school po ako nag-aral. Kung hindi

nga po dahil sa mga scholarship, at mga tulong ng gobyerno gaya ng marami sa

ating mga kababayan, hindi po ako nakapagtapos. (I grew up in Kamuning, if

there’s anyone here from Quezon City, you can relate to me when I say kids of

Kamuning: we grew up in the streets. I graduated from a public school. If not

for scholarships, and grants from the government, like many of our

compatriots, I would not have been able to finish my studies.) My mother was

9

a public school teacher; my father, despite his keen intellect, was a promdi1

from Sulu for whom doors did not open automatically. My parents put in long

hours so we could scrape by and have food on the table. There is another

particularly stark memory of my mother stifling her sobs by her bedside as

she prayed, perhaps for some respite from the hardships common to people of

our social standing. It is no secret that I am a practicing Christian; perhaps my

spirituality was inherited from my mother, who turned to God when things

became particularly difficult. And I think, to many of you, my story is similar to

your own journey in life.

As I matured, I learned that there exists another refuge for people like

us; and it is the law. Just as people are equal in the eyes of God, so too is every

citizen equal in the eyes of the law. Applied properly, the law strips one of

money, of power, of connections. I realize now that my parents, through their

example and the lessons they taught me, also bequeathed this steadfast faith

in the law. Throughout their lives, it was their simple faith that guided them:

Huwag magsisinungaling, huwag mandadaya, huwag manlalamang ng kapwa.

(Do not lie, do not cheat, and do not wrong others.) Play by the rules, and over

time, through hard work, you can inch your way forward. This, my dear

colleagues, is the simple, sacred promise that the law holds for every person 1 a Filipino slang word, meaning "from the province"

10

who enters our salas. And you, my dear brothers and sisters of the judicial

robe, you hold that promise in your hands. And I believe that our people look

to you, especially our first-level court judges, that you will keep faith to our

promise to the Filipino people. (applause)

Colleagues, I hope and I trust that you know enough of our work

towards judicial reform to know that, while much remains to be done, we are

doing our utmost best to empower you to effect positive, meaningful, genuine

change. And I mean that when I first met you in 2012, I remember all my

promises to you, not only will you find yourselves as champions of reform,

and [at] the cutting edge of the best in technology that we will bring to our

people in our judicial service, but I promised you that I will look after your

welfare.

So allow me first to start with each of the promises that we have kept

true to each other. I asked you at the end of my speech to keep your faith in

the vision that we will have a revitalized judiciary. That one day, our people

will believe in us and will hold us in highest esteem. I promised you then that

if we work doubly hard, the administration in Padre Faura will do its best to

first bring in the resources that are necessary to uplift the conditions of every

personnel in the judiciary. And what have we been able to do? I think that you

perhaps know already that since we started to focus on our budget, our

11

budget has kept on increasing and has been significantly augmented every

year. Every year we go to Congress, and every year we hear claps of applause

and appreciation for the enormous reforms that we have already instituted.

And now, here is one distinct promise I made to you in 2012 that I am able to

say has been fulfilled. Remember when you were all telling me that you had to

wait for one year for your computer to be repaired for you to be able to get the

equipment and office supplies you wanted? Last year, we were able to put into

our budget a provision that put in a significant amount of MOOE (Maintenance

and Other Operating Expenses) that will be directly downloaded to the courts

(applause). Eh ano po ba nag MOOE, hindi naman ho kayo dati humahawak ng

budget items, noh? Alam ninyo lang po ay i-check iyong performance ng inyong

mga tao. Ang MOOE po stands for “Maintenance and Other Operating

Expenses.” Naririnig ko po iyong mga reklamo ninyo tuwing ako’y umiikot sa

inyong mga korte, “Chief, tingnan ninyo naman panay mimeograph paper na

hindi naman namin ginagamit; mga ballpen na hindi sumusulat; coupon bond

na dikit-dikit.” At ipinakita niyo sa akin iyong mga supplies na hindi ninyo

magamit. Ano po ba ang pinagusapan natin noon sa Fort Ilocandia, gagawa

tayo ng paraan, hahanap tayo ng paraan upang ang mga tao na nasa ground,

kayo ang bibili ng supplies ninyo, hindi na kayo pipila sa Maynila (applause).

Bukas po, andito si Atty. [Michael B.] “Mike” Ocampo [Court Attorney VI, Office

12

of the Chief Justice Maria Lourdes P.A. Sereno] para ikuwento kung paano

magstart iyong piloting ng MOOE po. Mayroon na po tayong pipiliing mga korte

na iyong judges, pasensya na ho ah hindi ko ibibigay sa mga Clerks of Court

ninyo, iyong judges, kayo mismo ang unang bibigyan ng tranches ng cash,

basta’t faithful lang po kayo sa pagliquidate. Mayroon po tayong ilalabas na

financial guidelines. Huwag po kayong magagalit sa pagliquidate, kailangan po

iyan otherwise ma-COA (Commission on Audit) po tayo lahat. Puwede na ho

kayo gumawa ng small purchases ng mga coupon bond ninyo, printer,

cartridges, puwede na ho kayong magkaroon ng ballpen, lapis, kung ano ano

hong kailangan ninyong office supplies. Kayo na ho ang bibili, hindi na ho kayo

susulat pa. kailangan lang po, titingnan natin, si Atty. Mike po, ayan si Atty.

Mike ikukuwento niya, sa kanya ho kayo magrereklamo — hindi biro lamang po

iyon. (But what is the MOOE? As judges, you did not have to concern yourself

with budget items before; your role was simply to check the performance of

your staff. MOOE stands for “Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses.” I

hear your concerns whenever I go around the different courts nationwide,

“Chief, look at the stacks of mimeograph paper that we do not use; pens that

don’t write; and coupon bond that have already stuck to each other.” And you

showed me the supplies that you could no longer use. Do you remember what

we talked about back at Fort Ilocandia? We will find a way, a way for those

13

who are on the ground to be the ones to personally buy their own supplies;

you do not have to line up in Manila anymore. (applause) Tomorrow, Atty.

Mike Ocampo will be here to teach you about the Piloting of the MOOE. We

have selected certain judges — I am sorry, but this will be the judge’s

responsibility and not the Clerk of Court’s — who will receive the tranches of

cash, just please be truthful when you liquidate. Of course we will release

financial guidelines. Please do not get upset over the liquidation reports you

will have to submit, it is a necessary requirement, otherwise we might get in

trouble with the COA (Commission on Audit). With this, you will now be able

to make small purchases, from coupon bond, printer, cartridges, to pens,

pencils, and other office supplies. You now have the responsibility to purchase

them, you do not have to request anymore. Atty. Mike will teach you

tomorrow about this, blame him if you have any concerns — I’m kidding.) So

we are going to liberate you from the tyranny of over centralization in Manila.

We were able to convince the DBM (Department of Budget and Management)

and Congress to add money to us so that this can finally happen.

Pangalawa po, naalala ninyo nagrereklamo kayo [na] ang mga paycheck

ninyo, lalo na iyong sa probinsya, nawawala sa mail, dinidiscount sa grocery

kasi huli, ang laki na ng bawas by the time that it comes — di ba po mayroon

na tayong lahat na ATM (Automated Teller Machine) [cards]. (Second,

14

remember when you complained about your paychecks, especially those in

the provinces, that it gets lost in the mail, it is discounted at the grocery

because it is late, there’s already a large deduction by the time that it comes —

but now you already have your ATM (Automated Teller Machine) [cards])

(applause). So it only happened I think in 2014 that we were able to have a

nationwide ATM system, hindi lang po ang Metro Manila (not just for those in

Metro Manila). Huwag na lang po natin iencourage ang mga empleyado isangla

iyong kanilang ATM card ano po. (Let us just discourage our staff from using

their ATM card as collateral for loans).

Naalala ninyo po iyong sinasabi ninyo sa akin, ”Chief, parang hindi

naman ho kami ang nabibigyan pansin ng JBC (Judicial and Bar Council).”

Maniwala po kayo, ang JBC po, ako po, ang boto ko po para sa promotion,

laging mula sa rango ninyo (applause). Inuuna ko po kayo. At pinaguusapan na

po namin kung paano magiging pantay ang oportunidad ng mga first-level

court judges doon sa mga outsiders na gustong mapromote sa RTC (Regional

Trial Court) (applause). Inuulit ko po sa kanila na kailangan ipaglaban po kasi

iyong career ninyo, nariyan na kayo, dapat po naman bigyan ng supisyenteng

atensyon ang inyong sitwasyon. (Remember when you also told me, “Chief, it

seems like we are being bypassed by the JBC (Judicial and Bar Council). Please

believe me, in the JBC, my vote is always for your promotion, always from

15

your ranks (applause). You are my priority. We are also in talks about how to

make the first-level court judge’s opportunities level up to that of the

outsiders interested to also be promoted to the RTC (Regional Trial Court)

(applause). I keep on reminding them that I have to fight for the careers of the

first-level judges because they are already in the judiciary and such position

deserves a considerable amount of attention.)

Marami na rin po tayong sinimulang pinapadala sa mga training abroad

at ang PHILJA (Philippine Judicial Academy) pinupukpok ko na paigtingin ang

pagtrain at pagbigay ng mga seminar sa inyo. Mayroon na po akong mga

mangilan-ilan na papadala po natin sa best training institutions abroad para

makita ninyo po ang best practices. So dinadamihan natin ang conferences at

scholarships. At gusto ko pong ibalita sa inyo na ang future natin para sa

MOOE downloading, ayan po si Atty. Mike, sinabi ko in the future basta’t kaya

lang natin gumawa ng guidelines that are workable, pati ho conference fees

ninyo, isusubsidize na namin. (We have also sent many judges abroad for

training and I keep on telling the PHILJA (Philippine Judicial Academy) to

develop and provide more training and seminars for you. Some of you have

already been sent to the best training institutions abroad in order to observe

their best practices. We are trying to provide more conferences and

scholarships. And I would like to inform all of you that the future for MOOE

16

downloading — Atty. Mike is here — I said that in the future, as long as we can

make workable guidelines, we will subsidize even the conference fees.)

(applause)

Sana po napansin ninyo, kasi iyong ibang mga tao dahil sa marami na

silang financial obligations, hindi nila ho napapansin na ang mga bonuses nila

ho papalapit na ng papalapit sa bonuses level ng Supreme Court. Sana ho

napapansin ninyo yan, kasi every year tumataas na po ang bonuses ng lower

courts, pinipilit kong lumapit sa bonuses ng Supreme Court (applause). Para

hindi ko na ho marinig sa inyo iyong una kong narinig sa PTJLI, “para naman

kaming pinsan lamang at hindi kapatid.” (I hope you have noticed — especially

for those of you who have too many financial obligations that they have

overlooked their bonuses — that your bonuses are slowly catching up with

the bonus level of the Supreme Court. I really hope you have noticed this

because every year I try to increase the bonuses of the lower courts, in order

to be closer to that of the Supreme Court’s (applause). So that I will never hear

again what I heard before from the PTJLI, “We’re treated like a cousin rather

than as a sibling.”) (laughter)

Nagtry po ako [gumawa] ng nationwide HMO (health maintenance

organization) plan. For one year, nagsucceed pero may mga segmente ng

empleyado na nagreklamo ngunit ang sinabi ko, ganito po: kailangan ng mga

17

judges ng HMO. Kaya mayroon ho tayo dapat na committee na kinokonsulta

kayo upang mabigyan kayo ng HMO na ang minimum objective ko ay kaya ng

bawa’t huwes ng executive check up, and enough money for hospitalization

expenses. (I have tried to lobby for a nationwide HMO (health maintenance

organization) plan. It succeeded for a year, but some employees complained,

so I said judges need an HMO plan. That is why we have a committee we

consult in order to provide an HMO for you, and my minimum objective is for

you to have an executive check up, and enough money for hospitalization

expenses.) (applause)

Alam ninyo po, mga three Christmases ago, mga December 26,

nakatanggap ho ako ng text message mula dun sa mga kaibigan nating judges

from Cebu — natanggap na daw ng Supreme Court ang bonus nila, ang lower

courts hindi pa. Na-shock ako na ganoon pala, laging nadedelay. Kaya’t kung

napansin ninyo po, hindi po nagrerelease ng kahit anong bonus maski kanino

pang mahistrado, pati sa akin, hanggat hindi po tayo sabay sabay na tatanggap

(Three Christmases ago, on or about December 26, I received a text message

from our Cebu-based judges: that how come the Supreme Court already

received their bonuses, meanwhile the lower courts have not. I was shocked

that it was delayed. So if you have noticed, we do not release any bonus, not

18

even to the Associate Justices, including myself, until everyone will be able

receive such at the same time.) (applause)

Iyong pangako naman po na itaas iyong salary grade level (cheers and

applause), noon ninyo pa po sa akin nireklamo iyan eh. Ang ginawa po namin,

unti-unti po naming kinausap ang DBM at ang mga kaalyado natin sa Kongreso

para bigyan tayo ng karampatang kapangyarihan upang magkaroon ng

judiciary-wide plantilla review, at ako personally sinusuport ko ang pagtaas ng

salary grade level ninyo (applause). Maghintay na lamang po tayo kasi hindi po

madali ito kasi 30,000 people po ang pinaguusapan nating nirereview ang

plantilla items. (Now to my promise of increasing your salary grade level

(cheers and applause), which you have been long complaining about. What we

did was we talked to DBM and our allies in Congress to give us the power to

have a judiciary-wide plantilla review, and I personally support the increase in

your salary grade level (applause). Just be patient, this is not an easy feat, and

after all we are talking about reviewing 30,000 plantilla items.)

Tinupad ko po ang mga pangako ko sa inyo kaya’t natutuwa po akong

bumalik sa inyo para sabihing napakasipag po ng mga tao sa Korte Suprema

kasama na ang team members ko, iyong mga batang abogadong andoon, at

iyong mga management na kilala ninyo na po sa finance, sa OCA (Office of the

Court Administrator), sa OAS (Office of Administrative Services), lahat po sila

19

nag pupursige at iyong Budget Committee para gumanda po ang working

conditions ng bawa’t isa, kasama na po ang pinapangako naming

computerization ng courts ninyo. At tuwang-tuwa nga po ako kasi ang RTCs ng

Tacloban, electronic courts na. Ang RTCs po ng Quezon City ay electronic

courts system na ang ginagamit at magkakaroon ho tayong nationwide

electronic court system, nationwide connectivity, maraming messages sa inyo,

SMS na lang ipapadala or e-mail. (I have fulfilled the promises that I made to

you, and it gives me great pride and joy to tell you that I have very diligent

people in the Supreme Court along with my team members, young lawyers,

and those you know from the management from finance, from OCA (Office of

the Court Administrator), from OAS (Office of Administrative Services), they

have all been very diligent alongside the Budget Committee in order to better

the working conditions of each and every one of you, including the promised

computerization of your courts. It also brings me so much joy that the RTCs of

Tacloban are now electronic courts. The RTCs of Quezon City have long

started the electronic courts system, and we will also be having the

nationwide electronic court system, nationwide connectivity, and messages

sent simply through SMS or e-mail.) Eventually the future will be much more

efficient. Iyon po ang naipangako ko sa inyo at alam ko po naririnig ko sarili

kong hiningi ang isang bagay sa inyo: na mahalin ninyo po ang inyong trabaho,

20

doblehin ang ating kayod; at tuwang tuwang po akong sabihing nakikita ko po

iyon. Congratulations po (applause) pagkat pareho po tayong tumupad sa ating

mga pangako. (That is what I have promised to deliver to you, and I know that

I can hear myself asking one thing from you: that you love your job, work

twice as hard; and I am proud to say I can see this from you. Congratulations

(applause) because we have both met our promises to each other.) I’m so

proud of the first-level court judges especially because the data that keep on

coming from the first-level courts are really outstanding; The [2016] Revised

[Rules of Procedure for] Small Claims [Cases] — people are now feeling we care

for them, congratulations po sa inyong lahat! (congratulations to all of you!)

Alam ninyo po gaano kaliberating (Do you know how liberating it feels) every

time I go and tell people about our Small Claims — tuwang-tuwa po sila, biruin

ninyo, wala nang lawyer’s fees (they are so happy, especially because there are

no longer any lawyer’s fees). Oh magkano, 500 — affidavit, tinutulungan ninyo

pa nga sila gumawa ng affidavit, affidavit lang rin iyong kabila, one-day

hearing lang usually and then next day may judgment na sila. (Let’s say for

500 — you even help them draft their affidavit, and then it’s also just an

affidavit for the opponent, then a one-day hearing, and then judgment the next

day.) So people now believe that judges care for them. But we have to make

that message even stronger and more deeply felt.

21

Of course, marami na po tayong rules na pinalitan. Meron po tayong

[Revised] Continuous [Trial] Guidelines [of Criminal Cases], iyong Enhanced

Rules natin sa Small Claims, iyong mga decongestion programs po natin ng

dockets ninyo pati ng jails, madami na po. At si [Associate] Justice [Diosdado

M.] Peralta at isang team po mula sa Supreme Court ang manggagaling para

makipagtalakayan sa inyo at masagot ang mga tanong ninyo tungkol doon sa

mga iba’t ibang reforms natin po. (Of course we also had to update some rules.

We have the [Revised] Continuous [Trial] Guidelines [of Criminal Cases], as well

as the Enhanced Rules for Small Claims, the decongestion programs for your

court dockets, including jail decongestion, etc. We have [Associate] Justice

[Diosdado M.] Peralta and a team from the Supreme Court who will gladly

answer your questions regarding our different judicial reform programs.)

Our constituents demand that our government be accessible through

the web, and we are doing that — lahat po ng kontrata natin nandoon (all our

contracts are available online.) The Supreme Court has never been [more]

transparent as it is now. Even procurement contracts are already there, wala

pong kahit anong itinatago ang Korte Suprema sa taong-bayan. Hindi po sila

kailangan mag alinlangan na nawawala kahit isang kusing sa kaban ng bayan

pagkat ang Korte Suprema po ipaglalaban ang kalinisan sa paghawak ng pera.

(Even procurement contracts are already available online because the

22

Supreme Court would like to convey to our people that we are not hiding

anything. We want them to feel secure that we are not wasting public funds

and we are fighting for a clean judiciary.) (applause)

Our people demand that government processes be made simple, and we

have been doing that. Remember po iyong ipinagmamalaki natin na

eSubpoena na lang — ang dating napakahirap papuntahin ang mga pulis sa

mga hukuman natin, ngayon pag na implement na more widely ang

eSubpoena, e-mail na lang po, pag hindi dumating ang pulis, may

administrative problem sila. (Remember the eSubpoena we have been proudly

showing off — what used to be a tedious process of summoning police

witnesses to appear in our courts —after we implement the eSubpoena, we

will just have to send them an e-mail and if the police witnesses fail to appear,

they will be liable administratively.) In the cities where the eSubpoena is

already being done, people are feeling how much faster things are happening.

And not only are first-level court judges disposing of cases so fast, it is

unbelievable what is happening in our first-level courts, our second-level

courts are also gearing up especially with the Continuous Trial Guidelines. Ang

model po natin (The sample model we are using is), one which achieved

international recognition, in five months time, from filing all the way to

conviction, tapos ang kaso (the case is resolved within) five months. Ano iyong

23

kaso (What’s the case?): human trafficking case. And this case already

received international recognition and the template is already for that.

Pakisabi po sa mga kababayan natin that starting September 1, [2017] ang

mga criminal cases po eh bibilis na. Alam ko po na kinakabahan po ang lahat,

lalo na ang mga judges: “Kami po ba ay mapepenalize kapag hindi namin

matapos iyong mga period compliance na hinihingi? Ang sinasabi ko po, eh lalo

na kung ang problema ay sa prosekusyon, walang prosecutors po sa inyong

mga [lugar] ano po, walang PAO (Public Attorney’s Office) [lawyer] (crowd

agrees). Okay ganito po, we are fair. Kung hindi kayo ang may kasalanan, hindi

kayo ang may kasalanan, but record it. Okay po? (applause) Kasi noon ko pa ho

sinasabi sa Department of Justice, hindi maghihintay ang Supreme Court, hindi

maghihintay ang judiciary. Galit na ang mga tao natin, napakahaba ng mga

litigation natin; ang mga detention prisoners natin ang tagal tagal na

nakakulong pa — you have to be as fast as the judiciary is fast. Ang kailangan

ko lang ay proof na tayong judges, hindi tayo ang mabagal; tayong judges,

hindi tayo ang absent; tayong judges, handa tayo sa bawa’t hearing. Tuparin

ninyo po iyon. (applause) I promise you wala po ni isang judge mapepenalize

kung hindi ninyo ho kasalanan. Huwag ho kayong matakot. (Help me to inform

the general public that starting September 1, [2017], the process for criminal

cases will be faster and more efficient. I know everyone is nervous, especially

24

you my dear judges. “Will we be penalized if we fail to comply with the period

compliance in the new rules?” Let me tell you this, if the problem is with the

prosecutorial services — the lack or absence of prosecutors — let’s say there

is no PAO (Public Attorney’s Office) [lawyer] (crowd agrees), we will be fair. If

it is not the fault of the court or judge, please put it on record. Is that okay with

you? (applause) Because I have long been telling the Department of Justice

that the Supreme Court will not wait, the judiciary will not wait. Our people

are already restless and mad, litigation is prolonged, the detention prisoners

have been detained for way too long — you have to be as fast as the judiciary

is fast. What I am asking is that you give me proof: that judges are not slow;

that judges are not absent; that judges are always ready to hear their cases.

Carry these out, (applause) and I promise you that not a single one of you my

dear judges will be penalized if it is not your fault. Do not be afraid.) But I

want proof that we are doing our level best to bring justice fast to our people.

So now that you see that this is the spirit within which we are doing our

reforms: faster, better, more intelligent service, continuously communicating

with our people.

Now that I have brought to you the status of our reforms, and the status

of the promises I have made to you in 2012, I now come to talk to you about

the present situation. And I want to talk about the elephant in the room. Alam

25

ninyo naman po ako, siguro iyong iba sa inyo kilala na ako ngayon, direcho po

ako magsalita hindi ho ako nagtatago sa inyo ng problema. (Some of you here

already know me — I do not run away from problems, I face them head on.)

I am sure you have been monitoring the news reports regarding the

proceedings in the lower house of Congress. Kapag binasa natin ang balita,

parang may napakalaking gulong nangyayari, ano? (News articles and reports

make it appear like there is a very big problem, right?) To tell you the truth, I

do not feel as embattled as the news stories may portray me to be. (applause)

As one of my younger staff remarked, “Ang chill ni CJ (Chief Justice), bagay ang

pangalan — Sereno, as in serene. Kalmado.” (“CJ (Chief Justice) is so chill, her

name fits her well — Sereno, like serene. Calm.”)

I am like this because I know that the truth is on my side. And in a time

of constant spin, when narratives are co-opted to serve the personal agenda of

a few, the truth is our bedrock. Alam kong hindi ako nagsinungaling, hindi ako

nandaya, hindi ako nanlamang ng kapwa, at ginawa ko nang tama ang trabaho

ko bilang Punong Mahistrado. (I know that I did not lie, I did not cheat, I did

not wrong others, and I simply did my job as Chief Justice.) (applause) I have

enough faith in the truth to sleep soundly at night; I have enough faith in our

people, and in our democratic system, to know that narratives built on lies

will eventually crumble.

26

I did not come here to, as some would advise, rally the troops and ask

you to wear armbands or hold placards for me. I know that, ultimately, such

political maneuverings can only erode our branch of government in the long-

term, however gratifying it may be at the moment. I have no interest in

feeding my ego.

The greatest demonstration of support you can give me is to stay true to

your oaths. Remain steadfast in the conduct of your duties, zone out the

politics, and decide on your cases with openness, sobriety, and fairness. Work

hard, work with integrity, and be honest in all your dealings; defend the

constitution as we all swore to do. Again, as my parents said: Huwag

magsisinungaling, huwag mandadaya, huwag manlalamang ng kapwa. At

maaari ko po bang idagdag, mahalin ninyo ng husto ang isa’t-isa at ang bayang

Pilipinas. (Again, as my parents said: Don’t lie, don’t cheat, and don’t wrong

others. And if I may add, love each other and our beloved country, the

Philippines.) (applause)

Colleagues, the greatest battle for our democratic system is not

happening in the newspapers — that is overblown — or in other august halls

in Manila. So long as the truth remains the truth, and the law remains the law,

and the spirit of fairness holds, then there is little to worry about. The real

battle is happening in your courtrooms. Mamayang gabi, lulubog ang araw;

27

bukas, sisikat ang araw; at may mga kaso pa rin tayong dapat trabahuhin

(applause), may mga reporma pa tayong dapat isulong. (Tonight, the sun will

set; tomorrow morning, the sun will rise; and the cases we have to dispose of

will still be there (applause), and our reform programs will still need to be

carried out.) All I ask is that tomorrow, you wake up and resolve to do the

best, most honest, fairest work that you can do, and again the day after that,

and again the day after that. There is nothing more that a Chief Justice can ask

of you.

I remain so proud to lead our branch of government. Thank you very

much. (crowd gives a standing ovation)