Justice must be accessible to all, particularly women and vulnerable sectors, Department of Justice (DOJ) Undersecretary Margarita Gutierrez said during a women’s leadership forum in Quezon City.

Speaking at the Spark! Philippines #Women2026 Ladies Who Lead Forum held at Robinsons Galleria on 7 March, Gutierrez stressed that legal protections are meaningless if people cannot access the institutions meant to uphold them.

“Justice is not measured only by the laws that we pass, but by whether our systems actually work for the people who need them,” Gutierrez said.

To highlight gaps in the justice system, Gutierrez recounted the case of a woman she referred to as “Anna,” who spent 23 years in prison after being convicted of murder for killing a man who allegedly raped her.

The Supreme Court later ruled that she should have only been liable for less serious physical injuries, an offense punishable by just 30 days in jail.

“Imagine, 30 days lang pero ang naserve niya, 23 years,” Gutierrez said.

She noted that procedural delays and lack of legal assistance can prevent vulnerable individuals from accessing justice.

“Rights without access are rights that exist only on paper,” she said.

Gutierrez also raised concerns over growing cases of abuse and exploitation involving women and children, citing international reports that have identified the Philippines as one of the global hotspots for the production of child sexual abuse materials.

“We have laws that protect women, but if a victim does not know where to go, can we truly say justice exists?” she said.

To help address these gaps, the DOJ has expanded community-based services through initiatives such as the DOJ Action Center and the Katarungan Caravan, which provides legal assistance directly to communities.

The program offers free legal aid, case referrals and coordination with government agencies.

According to Gutierrez, the Katarungan Caravan assisted more than 25,000 clients last year, bringing the total number of Filipinos served since 2023 to over 50,000.

“Justice should not depend on geography. Justice should not depend on income. Justice should not depend on connections,” she said.

Gutierrez also urged women leaders to focus on strengthening institutions and accountability.

“When we speak of ladies who lead, it should not simply be about visibility. It should be about standards,” she said.

“The true measure of leadership is not the position we hold, but the system that we leave behind.”

The forum gathered women leaders from government, business and civil society to discuss leadership and social impact.

Panelists included Cristalle Belo, managing director of Belo Essentials; Alexa Jocom, CEO and founder of sustainable period-care brand Halia; and Billie Dumaliang, director for advocacy and board trustee of Masungi Georeserve.

Also present were Robinsons Department Store executives Stanley Co and Carmina Quizon, Spark! Philippines chairperson Boots Garcia and executive director Maica Teves, Just U Design Studio CEO Just Ureta, and officials from the Quezon City government led by Mayor Joy Belmonte.