Leonen sought review of major corruption cases dating to 1986
Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen proposed an independent review of major corruption cases filed since 1986 to determine why some resulted in accountability while others were undermined by prolonged court proceedings.
Leonen raised the proposal during his Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) interview on 22 October, when he outlined nine commitments he intended to pursue if appointed chief justice.
He warned that lengthy judicial proceedings could weaken corruption prosecutions because accused individuals are constitutionally entitled to the speedy disposition of their cases.
“A corruption case that is allowed to age becomes unwinnable by operation of a constitutional right, and no one has to be bribed for that to happen,” Leonen said.
As part of his proposed reforms, Leonen sought to have all large-scale corruption cases filed by the Office of the Ombudsman decided at the trial court level before the end of 2027.
“The commitment is to decide, never to convict,” he said, emphasizing that the proposal was intended to accelerate judicial proceedings rather than predetermine their outcomes.
“It names no case and no person,” he added.
Leonen also said the Supreme Court should be subject to similar timelines in resolving pending petitions.
He argued that the judiciary could not credibly demand faster proceedings from lower courts without applying comparable standards to itself.
“Alongside, I propose an independent study of what happened to the major corruption cases that have reached our courts since 1986, so that we learn how accountability was achieved and how it was lost,” Leonen said.
Reporting mechanism for improper demands
Leonen also proposed establishing a reporting system through which businesses could report unauthorized demands for money, property or services by judges and court personnel.
Under the proposed mechanism, complainants would receive updates on the action taken and an indicative timetable for resolving their complaints.
“We will tell them what we did with each report, with an indicative timetable of the results we expect,” Leonen said.
He envisioned developing the system in consultation with business organizations before extending it to community groups, academic institutions, lawyers, nongovernment organizations and civic organizations.
The proposal was intended to improve transparency and strengthen public confidence in the judiciary.
Leonen also called for a review of court rules governing judicial scrutiny of regulatory agencies, particularly the circumstances in which courts defer to administrative decisions.
He said judicial decisions should clearly explain the evidence and reasoning supporting such deference.
The senior justice further proposed consultations with businesses and other stakeholders to identify concerns involving regulatory capture and the administration of justice.
Leonen disclosed that a private business organization had conducted focus group discussions examining members' perceptions of the judiciary, although the findings could not yet be released because they remained under Supreme Court deliberation.
The proposals formed part of Leonen's unsuccessful bid to succeed former Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, who retired on 6 November.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. instead appointed Associate Justice Rodil Zalameda, who assumed office as the country's 28th chief justice on the same day.