After three decades of being in a democratic regime, the country is now in a very crucial situation. Dealing with so many issues that requires legal action; being in the middle of a proposed change to the current constitution, a controversial territorial dispute with a regional hegemon, and the current administration’s unconventional actions, the Philippines needs its judiciary to maintain enough independence in order to assure that its ideals of liberal democracy and sovereignty will not be trampled by the vested interests of those in power.
Acknowledging this critical juncture where the Philippines and its judicial branch is situated, the University of the Philippines Political Society (UP POLSCi) is holding a forum entitled, “Hindikatuta: Kalagayan ng Hudikatura sa Pilipinas.” The forum aims to show the existing realities regarding the independence of the Philippine judiciary. The main goal is to assess whether our judicial branch is independent from the whims of external actors; if not, why this is the case?
Hearing from lawyers like Atty. Jose Manuel I. Diokno – founding Dean of De La Salle University’s College of Law, and former Solicitor General Florin T. Hilbay, the forum aims to be an avenue for further clarification and discussion on the independence of the judiciary.
This event is one of the many that the UP Political Society has planned for its 15th Anniversary Celebration themed “Homeward: Rediscovering Affinities.” Details for its other events can be found at www.facebook.com/uppoliticalsociety/.