Lawyers, human rights advocates express support for Leonen

A group of lawyers, human rights advocates, and other professionals posted a statement in which they expressed their support for Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, who is facing an impeachment complaint.

The statement, signed by more than 100 supporters on December 10 - International Human Rights Day, called for the junking of the impeachment complaint which accused Leonen of being slow in disposing of cases and for failing to file mandatory wealth declarations.

"The complaint is utterly baseless 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," the statement read.

The statement argued that Justice Leonen embodied "equity, justice, and human rights" as a law professor, dean, a peace negotiator, and as a respected member of the Supreme Court.

"This impeachment complaint 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 withstand the vagaries of our volatile politics," it read, adding that filing of the complaint was an "international embarrassment" as the country created the first functioning legal system in Asia based on due process.

Among the signatories were some of Leonen's colleagues, co-workers, and friends who were able to work with him in defending the rights and ancestral domain of local farmers and indigenous communities across the Philippines.

"Justice Leonen continues to be a visionary leader, deeply committed to helping the marginalized, oppressed, and unrepresented. He inspired us to maximize and utilize our potential to be of service to local Filipino communities, to help them find their voice," it read.

The impeachment complaint was filed before the House of Representatives by Edwin Cordevilla, secretary-general of the Filipino League of Advocates For Good Government (FLAGG), who alleged that Leonen committed culpable violation of the Constitution for supposedly failing to dispose of at least 37 cases within 24 months.

Moreover, Cordevilla claimed that Leonen also violated the Constitution by "arbitrarily, willfully, intentionally, [and] deliberately" delaying the resolution of cases pending before him as chairperson of the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET).

Leonen had said that Congress should not spend its time attending to "false issues" while many Filipinos were in need. — DVM, GMA News