Lawyers, judges and rights defenders rally behind Leonen in criticizing ‘unfounded’ impeach rap

MANILA – More than a hundred former colleagues and friends of Deputy Supreme Court Justice Marvic Leonen expressed their support for the magistrate this week as he faced an impeachment lawsuit, calling the impeachment proposal “unfounded and unfounded.”

In a statement dated December 10, lawyers, regional court judges, environmental and human rights defenders and students said that the complaint filed against Leonen directly attacks the integrity of the High Court and “must not be given in due course.” .

Over a hundred former SC Assoc Justice Marvic Leonen colleagues (lawyers, environmental and human rights defenders, a RTC judge) have come out with a statement expressing their support, denouncing “totally unfounded and unfounded impeachment complaints. “. pic.twitter.com/P4vYABhKJt

– Mike Navallo (@mikenavallo) December 12, 2020

“This demand for impeachment cannot be allowed to pass, for the sake of the independence of the Supreme Court, and for the sake of continued nation-building with national institutions that can resist the vagaries of our volatile politics,” it was stated. read in the statement.

The signatories said they had worked with Leonen and met him personally, adding that his efforts to defend the rights of local farmers and indigenous communities across the country demonstrate his “idealism, probity, deep integrity, high professional work ethic. and love for the law as an instrument of justice rather than oppression. “

The magistrate, whose term expires in 2032, faces an impeachment complaint before the House of Representatives for alleged betrayal of public trust and guilty violation of the Constitution.

It alleged that Leonen committed a betrayal of the public trust when he failed to file his Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) Statements for 15 years during his tenure at the University of the Philippines.

“The complaint is totally unfounded and unfounded, and should not be given due course. The complaint constitutes a direct attack on the independence and integrity of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. This integrity is based on telling the truth to power and a deep understanding of the law as an instrument for fairness, justice and human rights, which Judge Leonen embodied and continues to embody, ”the statement explained.

“As his close professional colleague for decades, we have seen him employ his considerable legal skills for farmers and peasant communities, for indigenous peoples, for human rights victims and the families of the involuntarily disappeared, for environmental issues and for the consumers”. added.

Meanwhile, Leonen’s alumni at the University of the Philippines (UP) School of Law said that his dedication and practice of law “has been sources of both inspiration and respect.”

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“He mentored many students in their first litigation experience. As Dean of the UP Law School, he paved the way for many of us to pursue careers in alternative law from human rights to defense of the environment, ”they said in the statement.

The associate judge had served as dean of the UP Law School and became director of its legal assistance program.

In apparent response to criticism of Leonen’s litigation experience, his supporters said the magistrate has appeared at all levels of the court, whether in administrative or quasi-judicial agencies.

“He was an expert, consultant or resource person in many Congressional and Senate hearings. He argued many cases in the Supreme Court … And yes, he won several of these groundbreaking cases. In fact, describing Judge Leonen as having no experience in legal practice is an extreme falsehood. “

Leonen previously said he was confident House leaders would “do the right thing” by prioritizing more “urgent and urgent needs of our people” rather than “bogus issues raised by some for clearly personal or vengeful reasons.”

Before being appointed to the high court in 2012, Leonen was the government’s top peace negotiator with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Leonen graduated magna cum laude from the UP School of Economics in 1983. He completed his law degree at the UP in 1987. He joined the role of lawyer on May 28, 1988.

– Report by Mike Navallo, ABS-CBN News

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