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

Leonen made the statement as he outlined strategies to strengthen heritage through education, judicial practice, institutional reform, and cross-cultural dialogue. He also urged the judiciary to fundamentally reconnect with its cultural and historical roots to deliver more meaningful justice.

The call was made during the 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 — one that is 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).

The event 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 the integration of tradition into modern legal frameworks.

At the center of the discussions was the importance 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 the precolonial barangay justice systems to the modern courts.

He cited the enduring relevance of customary law, pointing to the Kalinga Bodong, a peace pact rooted in restorative justice, as an example of an indigenous practice that can be integrated into the national framework.

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

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