SC Statement Responding to Calls for Action on Killings of Lawyers, Threats to Judges

oJ' TH'B!

iepub[ic of toe IT)iTippines' 6upreme (!nourt

March

ATTY.

BRIAN

Chief,

Public

Supreme

KEITH

23, 2021

F. HOSAKA

Information

Office

Court

Re: Instructions to Read the Statement of the Members of the Court En Banc Responding to Calls for Action Regarding the Killing of Lawyers and Threats to Judges

Dear

Atty.

The

Hosaka:

undersigned

and distribute urgent

the attached

concerns

Thank

members

regarding

of the

statement

to the public of lawyers

request

in view and threats

you

of our

to read

serious

and

to judges.

you.

Chief

. PERALTA J

ce

dE!RLA-BERNAB MARVIC Associ

ALFRE

En Banc

the killing

DIOSDADO

ESTELA

Court

J

B)!:N As

Associ

ce

LEONEN

e Justice

G. GESMUNDO

S CAGUIOA eJ

i+F'*

t

sociate

Justice

RAMON

PAUL Associate

L. HERNANDO

ROSMARI

Justice

D. CARANDANG

Associate

Justice

Associate

Justice

/#J"AVIER

A:MY Associate

Justice

Associate

Justice

L. DELOS

EDGA

Associate

RICARDO Associ

iate

SANTOS

Justice

ROSARIO e Justice

SAMUEL

H. GAERLAN

Associate

Justice

JHOSE&PEZ Associate

Justice

9!P THE

iepuli[ic

o€ the15itippines'

6upreme

(Court

fflani[a

A ST ATEMENT

OF

THE

RESPONDING KILLINGS

The letters

and

Among and

Anti-Terrorism the

itself

powers.

ours.

law

Every

This

judges

be

principle

veiy

strongest

in

guaranteed

are all too

duties

exercise

is

ensuring witbin

may

republican

not

that

of

some

of

of the Bar

of the

and the Free

in

alike, of

that

that

systerri,

iristance

cost.

has

Iri this

does and

them

from

ideal

that

the

manner

Court

it from

standing

in no uncertain fixed

on

political

tides.

exercising

their

the

rule

of

to

all

far

must

law

parties.

stands

light,

the Corir: is threatened

fear

bend

aispense

and equitably

by the censtant

-vvhere a lawyer

like

be prcitected.

ca.n fa.irly

ur'ibridled

on

on which society

remained

socia.]

transparent

everything

bedrock

prevents

but

must

an assault

watch.

on the

all its officers

governmental

in a civilized

prevents

in the Constitution

that

the very

shifting

and

among

as it now

debate,

democracy,

is no less than

nothing

repercussions

aware

and

be allowed

a history

tne highest

avery

between

and lawyers

an impartial

the legal

exact

sense

by

Integrated

of our

on the Court's

or a judge

serious

accessible

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filed

of Law,

is to shake

cannot

is mindfiil

arriid

to a lawyer

its arc toward

killings

constitutionality

of the

and our lawyers

go underiounced

justice'

right

of various

and

College

pillars

the Judiciary

stands.

officers,

has

concern

JUDGES

receipt

judges

the

EANC

THE

OUR

Manifestations

questioning

balance

our judges

Court

functions

their

on a careful

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threat

the

of

TO

to

EN

ON

acknowledge

threats

is one of the three

The

This

THREATS

of the Philippines

cannot

administering

must

statement

To assault

of

by all court

Every

cases

COURT

ACTION

Court

in the

This

terms.

Supreme

THE

Group.

To threaten

rule

FOR

AND

include

the

hangs

the Judiciary.

CALLS

letters

University

Juaiciary

The

the

parties

Assistance

OF

concerning

these

Act,

Philippines,

which

of the

manifestations

lawyers

Legal

TO

LAWYERS

members

lawyers. the

OF

MEMBERS

that

condemns or killed,

such in the and

vvhere a 3udge is threatened and unfairly labeled. tolerate

s:uch

undermine worth

acts

that

the most

of human

only

basic

general.

the they

Judiciary,

think

our law as mere

of

law, on the

of the public,

and public

elements

would

simply never

brush

who,

the

servants

in their

in

zeal to

aside the limitations

be countenanced,

and indivisible

interest

we are taking

rights

in

for it is only

that

the past 10 years.

informatiori

be done

the remainder

these

the

our freedoms

Based

Second,

while

deliberate,

arid

service

of

search

Court's

deliberations

the conduct

coordinate

we

with

most recent survey

received

among

withiri action

or

or killing.

us with

We ask that this month

Office

prior

public

of April.

to receive

and

to our deliberations

en

2021.

the Court

will

then

decide

of the relevant

on the

rules,

or if

promulgate arrest

the Court

rules

on the

warrants.

on whether

En Banc

to work

use of body

cameras

for

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is without

prejudice

to

the

This

we can cover

operations

has resolved

with

our rules

in 'i:he enforcement

of procedure

of t}ie Comprehensive

Act.

have the

incident

organizatioris

of a lawyer provide

and the whole

t}ie amendmem

this is ongoing,

of buy-bust

Third,

on

of new ones.

arid

Drugs

provided,

including

the creation

groups-to

law

to shed light

the public-including

a report

of April

as the various

or killing

Information

us with

for the last week

of aetion,

month

Public

on the informatien

courses

Dangerous

of this

as well

threat

judges'

of action:

information

of such threat

Court's

data and provide

banc scheduled

necessary,

and

on any incident

within

relevant

We aiso urge

lawyers

are designating

collate

us with

courses

courts,

of each and every

organizaiions,

vetted

the following

our lower

to furnish

and context

within

further

enforcers

should

of our inalienable

offices,

the number

on,

rule

and speculate

concerns

are wayward

This

we ha've requested

enforcement

next

the

meaningful

First,

We

principles,

as law

that there

is necessary,

In this regard,

judge

as well

obstacles.

in the enjoyment become

of constitutional

defeat

and share the legitimate

We are aware

do what

justice,

lives.

We acknow!edge profession,

perverse

We do not and will not

ordered raievant of a.judge

cotrsidered triaf

the Office law

enforcement

being

ccort

and Snari'a

by the Court.

the extent

'I'he r'esulting

to

report

to: (1)

investigate

the

her to and rebels; and (2)

of a 'i:arpaulin

as commur.ists

jiidges

Administrator

agencies

the subject

by law enforcers

the last 10 years.

of the Court

linking

of threats would

they

have

be the basis

of

We

have

counseling

coordinated

to

coordinate

the

with

judges

security

all

concerned

concenned.

arr.angements

The

for

to

Court

any judge

provide

is

security

ready

or justice

to

and

provide

that

or

is similarly

threatened.

Fourth, relevant into

we are referring

trial

coprts,

the proper

amparo

which

will

remedies,

or habeas

all ietters then

such

that contain

order

specific

the parties

as but not

limited

incidents

to convert

to petitions

to the

such

letters

for the writs

of

data.

Fifth, in all these processes, we will endeavor to coordinate through existing

mechanisms

society

or law

We clients in

cases,

the

provide

the relevant

what

it

are carried

ensure

that

The

we will

continue

they

show

remairi

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undaiinted,

and upholdirig

to

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We Court

Manila,

calls

recogriize stands

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with

that

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on the In

is necessary

operated

within

as clear We

institutional

breaches

remain

and effective

of

conscious in a just,

can and

as well

as the public,

comply

with

restraints, constitutional

fair,

role

to

and timely

can rest assured

our constitutional

duty

that to act

are done.

and unwavering

no more a clear

we

fitting

vision

and all members

time

than

of taking

of

in the duties now

courage,

should

the

enforcing

of the Constitutiori.

all

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to unflinchingly

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our basic

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for each case.

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whether

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protect

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decisively

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or

reliefs

revision

is far

groups,

determine by

further

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evidence,

supported

efficiently

concerned

threats

petitions,

receive be better

lawyers

experienced

pending

all

enforcement.

encourage

have

assess

with

of

must

fight

all

the judges

of fear.

Let

foy,

there

our and

resolve lawyers

be no

is who

doubt, the