Romualdez: PH democracy being tested by 'misuse, manipulation' of law

Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said Philippine democracy was currently being put to the test by the "misuse and manipulation" of the law, making the remark as he called on Filipino lawyers to uphold the Constitution amid today's challenges.

In his speech Friday night before the national membership of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) in Cebu City, Romualdez underscored that the country is in need of legal professionals who have the courage to speak.

"Here at home, democracy is being tested not by force, but by apathy; not by the absence of law, but by its misuse and manipulation," Romualdez said at the 20th National Convention of Lawyers by the IBP.

Calling to ensure that justice is available to all Filipinos, Romualdez said the legal profession "demands more than expertise, it demands courage."

"Courage to uphold the Constitution when it is most inconvenient. Courage to speak the truth when silence is the safer path. And courage to stand for justice, not just for the privileged, but for those who cannot afford representation, whose voices are drowned out by wealth and influence," he said.

Romualdez added that today's "reality" is that "the law is only as strong as those who defend it," only as just to those who interpret it, and only as relevant for those who wield it for the common good."

The Speaker assured that the House of Representatives would remain as a partner of the legal profession in ensuring the responsiveness of the legal profession to the needs of Filipinos.

"I also know that legislation alone is not enough. The battle for justice is waged not only in Congress or the courts but in every forum where truth must be defended," Romualdez said. — VDV, GMA Integrated News