Focus on SC rulings, not on trivial matters–Leonen

Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen. AP FILE PHOTO/LAI SENG SIN

MANILA, Philippines–Focus on the Supreme Court as an institution, not on justices and other trivial matters, newly-appointed Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen said Wednesday.

In his message before the Columbia Alumni Association of the Philippines, Leonen said  “the Supreme Court is an under studied institution” and it is better to focus on its decisions.

“In our courts today, there are very important issues,” Leonen said, adding that trivial matters such as  attendance of justices during flag ceremonies should take the back seat.

Leonen’s message came following the release a Pulse Asia survey where Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno’s approval rating fell by 24 percent while 50 percent of those surveyed were unable to say if they trust Sereno.

The Supreme Court, meanwhile, obtained a majority trust of 53 percent.

Sereno has been criticized for imposing a “dignified silence policy” at the high court, contrary to the transparency being promoted by the executive branch.

But Leonen said, “we are better read than heard and I suppose with the Public Information Office then perhaps there will be more ways for us to actually try to communicate (the rulings of the court) with the general public.”

“We are not good justices if we are not readable. Gone should be the days when we have Supreme Court justices who write kilometric sentences,” Leonen said.

As justices, “we can come out with the result but we should reflect a second time and see its effect in the real world. It is important that the court is grounded,” he said.

“It is important that we understand that law as a discipline has ceased to be autonomous. Our decisions are not just academic statements. We decide cases that have implications in the present while being precedents in the future. Our pronouncements transcend the term limits of the legislature and the executive,” Leonen said.