By Jeffrey Damicog
Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin has advised all magistrates in the country to welcome criticisms against them.
Chief Justice Lucas P. Bersamin
(Jansen Romero / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) “We cannot be immune from the scrutiny of the people,” Bersamin told members of the Philippine Judges Association (JPA) during a testimonial dinner in his honor held in Manila last Thursday. “It is their absolute right to do so no matter how criticism may be unjust or harsh or unfair, we should welcome it,” said Bersamin. The Chief Justice, who earlier vowed to purge the judiciary of misfits and scalawags, told magistrates they should “view criticism of our work and our actuation as the necessary scalpels that help us excise our actual faults and perceived fallibilities.” “Criticism has a natural place in our scheme of things. It is our reminder of our own limitations. It opens our eyes to our shortcomings and mistakes which we do not correct without anyone telling us about,” he explained. “On the other hand, any degree of intolerance on criticism may lead us to become martinets, or worst, tyrants. But that we do not want to be for we could not be martinets or tyrants,” he added. Bersamin reminded magistrates of the qualities and characteristics they should have including integrity, probity, and competence. “You must convince the communities you serve that you are the visible representation of the law. For if the laws were to be obeyed, the judges that administer them must be credible and not ridiculous,” he stated. “As judges, we are unavoidably leaders whether we like it or not. As leaders, we must lead and not mislead,” he pointed out. Meanwhile, Bersamin has appealed to all judges for their help and support for his four-point agenda for the judiciary which are the updating of the Rules of Court, purging the judiciary of misfits and scalawags, initiation of Bar reforms, and the adoption of legal clinics to enhance access to justice. The chief magistrate expressed confidence he can achieve this even though he has less than a year left before he retires on October 18. “As the Chief Justice, I have assumed the greatest responsibility ever to be placed on the frail shoulders of any active judge. And in that task, I must ensure that our courts and judges function efficiently and competently. But I am confident, that with the PJA fully behind me, I will not fail,” he said.
Chief Justice Lucas P. Bersamin(Jansen Romero / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) “We cannot be immune from the scrutiny of the people,” Bersamin told members of the Philippine Judges Association (JPA) during a testimonial dinner in his honor held in Manila last Thursday. “It is their absolute right to do so no matter how criticism may be unjust or harsh or unfair, we should welcome it,” said Bersamin. The Chief Justice, who earlier vowed to purge the judiciary of misfits and scalawags, told magistrates they should “view criticism of our work and our actuation as the necessary scalpels that help us excise our actual faults and perceived fallibilities.” “Criticism has a natural place in our scheme of things. It is our reminder of our own limitations. It opens our eyes to our shortcomings and mistakes which we do not correct without anyone telling us about,” he explained. “On the other hand, any degree of intolerance on criticism may lead us to become martinets, or worst, tyrants. But that we do not want to be for we could not be martinets or tyrants,” he added. Bersamin reminded magistrates of the qualities and characteristics they should have including integrity, probity, and competence. “You must convince the communities you serve that you are the visible representation of the law. For if the laws were to be obeyed, the judges that administer them must be credible and not ridiculous,” he stated. “As judges, we are unavoidably leaders whether we like it or not. As leaders, we must lead and not mislead,” he pointed out. Meanwhile, Bersamin has appealed to all judges for their help and support for his four-point agenda for the judiciary which are the updating of the Rules of Court, purging the judiciary of misfits and scalawags, initiation of Bar reforms, and the adoption of legal clinics to enhance access to justice. The chief magistrate expressed confidence he can achieve this even though he has less than a year left before he retires on October 18. “As the Chief Justice, I have assumed the greatest responsibility ever to be placed on the frail shoulders of any active judge. And in that task, I must ensure that our courts and judges function efficiently and competently. But I am confident, that with the PJA fully behind me, I will not fail,” he said.