Set to mark their 32nd wedding anniversary this year, it’s safe to say that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos know a thing or two about navigating married life.
The President, in particular, shared some nuggets of marital wisdom during the recently held 20th National Convention of Lawyers—words sure to resonate with anyone with a significant other in the legal profession.
“I also learned a valuable lesson very early on—one that I carry with me to this day: Never argue with your wife, especially if she is a lawyer,” Mr. Marcos said to the audience’s laughter.
The President then broke down his reasons for saying so:
1. Not up for debate
According to him, victory in any argument is not up for debate. “It is not a debate you will ever win. Because for a layman, we sit there and you begin to feel the application of trial technique, something which we are not too accustomed with,” Marcos said.
2. No straightforward answers
Due to said trial technique, one can never get clear-cut answers. “So, what starts as a simple yes-or-no question eventually transforms into ‘it depends,’” Marcos added.
3. No fighting chance
One must also be careful, else they find themselves in their own personal courtroom. “And before you know it, you are knee-deep in case law, precedent, and a cross-examination that you did not sign up for,” Marcos said.
Losing arguments, winning at life
He then sobered: “But on a more serious note, she (Liza) has shown me the incredible depth and nuance of the law—and the minds that practice it.”
Earlier in his speech, the President said he had always held deep respect for the legal profession, both due to their societal role and the moral example set by lawyers who have surrounded him all his life.
He cited his father, the late former president Ferdinand Marcos, who topped the 1939 bar examinations, as well as the lawyers who assisted him during his time in government.
“And to the point that I married a lawyer, my wife, Liza. I have seen through her how lawyers devote yourselves to mentoring aspiring lawyers,” the President said of his First Lady.
Liza earned her bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from the Ateneo de Manila University, where she subsequently graduated with a law degree. She later enrolled in post-graduate classes in Criminal Procedure at the New York University.
The First Lady actually met the President while studying and working as a lawyer in New York City.
That’s why even if Marcos will never win an argument against his wife, victory was always certain the moment he won her over.