Leonen proposes integrated e-court system, wider access to justice

Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen’s reform agenda calls for completing an integrated electronic court system covering trial courts, appellate courts and the Supreme Court, improving courthouse infrastructure, and expanding access to justice in remote communities.

Leonen outlined these proposals on Thursday as he faced members of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) for an interview in the search for the next chief justice, ahead of Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo’s retirement on 6 November 2026.

He said digitalization must not exclude litigants who lack internet access or cannot use electronic systems. Courts should continue accepting paper filings and providing in-person services when necessary.

The plan also proposes reviewing Batas Pambansa Blg. 129, which governs the organization of lower courts, and consolidating procedural rules to make litigation more accessible and efficient.

Leonen called for developing rules on how Indigenous peoples’ customary laws may be established in court and creating a writ that would compel authorities responsible for detention facilities to address inhumane conditions.

He also proposed a comprehensive review of admission to the legal profession and measures to expand the number of Sharia lawyers, noting that the country has 1,612 Sharia counselors, not all of whom are actively practicing.

On judicial independence, Leonen said judges must remain free from political influence, illicit payments, personal ambition and pressure from powerful interests.

Independence, he said, is not a privilege of judges but a protection for litigants, particularly poor people facing powerful adversaries.

Leonen also argued that the rule of law should not be reduced to rigid adherence to established doctrines when their application would perpetuate oppression. Courts must continually examine whether legal interpretations remain consistent with constitutional principles, human rights and social justice.

He acknowledged that implementing the proposed reforms would require cooperation among the 15-member Supreme Court, lower courts, Congress and other stakeholders. Some measures could be pursued through the chief justice’s own initiatives, while others would require the agreement of fellow justices or congressional action.

Leonen said the judiciary should first carry through and assess its existing strategic plan, which runs until 2027, before undertaking further reforms.

Ultimately, he said, the justice system should be judged by whether ordinary Filipinos can obtain fair, understandable and timely decisions, regardless of their wealth, social standing or location.