Jose Manuel Diokno: Peoples’ access to justice should be assured | Sun.Star.

July 24, 2012

MANILA (3rd Update, 4:39 p.m.) — The Supreme Court should be in an instrument of bringing justice to the poor and the downtrodden, a nominee for the position of Chief Justice said Tuesday.

“All they need is access to counsel. It is hard for people to get that access,” Jose Manuel Diokno, dean of the De La Salle University College of Law, said.

Saying that the scales of justice in the country is somewhat biased against the underprivileged, the law dean even pointed out the public is losing faith in the legal system because of case delays and corruption.

“Many of our brothers no longer believe in the justice system. That would have to be the first priority of the Chief Justice, how to address that,” Diokno said.

He also proposed wider public participation in the justice system, particularly on the selection of people who should be appointed to judicial positions. In fact, Diokno said the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), which conducted the interview on Tuesday, should be depoliticized by having more non-lawyers.

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