LAWYER. Human rights lawyer Atty. Romeo Cabarde says that while he respects the decision of the Supreme Court as the highest court of the land, he does not agree with its decision to allow a hero’s burial for the late president Ferdinand Marcos. (Paulo C. Rizal/davaotoday.com)
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – A lawyer here expressed dismay over the Supreme Court’s decision to allow the burial of the late president Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, saying that the ruling “dismissed” the sacrifices of those who gave their lives to restore democracy during the years of Martial Law.
“As a lawyer, I fully accept the decision of the Supreme Court as the highest court in the land, but I do not necessarily agree with the ruling,” said human rights lawyer and educator Atty. Romeo Cabarde on Tuesday, November 8 during an indignation rally along Roxas Avenue here.
The rally was organized by Konsensya Dabaw, a local movement opposing the burial of late president Ferdinand Marcos at the Heroes’ cemetery.
Of the 15 SC justices, nine voted to dismiss the petitions opposing the hero’s burial of Marcos. They were Associate Justices Arturo Brion, Presbitero Velasco Jr, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Mariano del Castillo, Jose Perez, Teresita de Castro, Jose Mendoza, and Estela Perlas-Bernabe.
Five judges, including Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, Associate Justices Antonio Carpio, Marvic Leonen, Francis Jardeleza, and Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa agreed with the petitions, while one Associate Justice Bienvenido Reyes inhibited himself from the case.
“While I admire what they say that they are only upholding the rule of law, I think that’s exactly the problem. Our judges, so many of our lawyers are trained to read the law. They know so much about the law but nothing about justice. Those are two different things for me,” Cabarde said.
“I think they also forgot what was taught to us in law school, that the laws must be read not according to the words that kill, but according to the spirit that gives life. But with their decision they killed justice they killed history, they killed the entire Filipino nation with the decision,” Cabarde added.
Meanwhile, Konsensya Dabaw in a statement said that the SC “mishandled this prime opportunity to affirm the powers of transformative justice in our country that has long suffered from the miscarriage of justice.”
Despite the high court’s decision, the group also said that they will continue to engage President Duterte, especially with regards to the reparation of the victims and families of martial law victims.
“We reiterate our intention of holding the Duterte administration accountable for fulfilling the Human Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act (RA 10368 as amended by RA 10766), which makes it a State responsibility to recognize the heroism and sacrifices of the victims of human rights violations during the regime of Marcos,” the group said. (davaotoday.com)
