Corruption thrives when heritage is silenced, says Leonen

Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen warned that “corruption thrives when heritage is silenced, because corruption feeds on forgetfulness.”

He made the call while outlining strategies to strengthen heritage through education, judicial practice, institutional reform, and cross-cultural dialogue. Leonen urged the judiciary to reconnect with its cultural and historical roots to deliver more meaningful justice.

The statement was made during the recent Judicial Heritage Conference, a five-day gathering of legal experts, scholars, and cultural leaders from the Philippines and the United States.

“To reawaken heritage is to stand in the continuum, to listen deeply, and to act justly,” Leonen said. “Justice is a living, thriving heritage—reawakened in every age, across every culture, through every judge who dares to listen and listen well.”

The conference, titled Echoes of the Law: Reawakening Judicial Heritage Across Cultures, was hosted by the Supreme Court and the Philippine Judicial Academy (PHILJA) in partnership with the Pacific Judicial Council (PJC). It brought together participants to reflect on the deep roots of law in history, culture, and community.

Topics discussed included colonial legacies, indigenous justice systems, judicial leadership, and integrating tradition into modern legal frameworks. At the heart of the discussions was the role of heritage in fostering a more inclusive, ethical, and culturally grounded judiciary.

In his keynote address, SC Associate Justice Samuel H. Gaerlan traced the evolution of Philippine judicial institutions from pre-colonial barangay justice systems to modern courts. He highlighted the continuing relevance of customary law, citing the Kalinga Bodong, a peace pact rooted in restorative justice, as an example of indigenous practices that can inform contemporary legal processes.

Gaerlan emphasized that these cultural priorities are embedded in the Supreme Court’s Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022–2027 (SPJI), which seeks an “efficient, inclusive, and culturally grounded” judiciary that strengthens public trust.

“As we shape the future, may our judicial legacy place justice at the heart of every decision, compassion at the core of every law, and ethics and morality as the inner compass,” Gaerlan added.