Speaker Martin G. Romualdez urged his fellow lawyers to be defenders and protectors of the Constitution, justice, rule of law, and the weak who cannot afford the cost of legal service.
“What kind of legal profession will we pass on to the next generation? One that is driven merely by profit, or one that remains a beacon of hope for the nation? One that is transactional, or one that is transformative?” he said the Integrated Bar of the Philippines’ 20th National Convention of Lawyers in Lahug, Cebu City Friday night.
“We must ensure that every Filipino, whether rich or poor, educated or unlettered, knows that the law is not the instrument of the powerful, but the protector of the weak. That justice is not a privilege, but a right. And that lawyers are not mere advocates of clients, but guardians of the nation’s moral and legal compass,” said Romualdez, a UP law graduate.
He said the legal profession today “demands more than expertise, it demands courage.”
“Courage to uphold the Constitution when it is most inconvenient. Courage to speak the truth when silence is the safer path. And courage to stand for justice, not just for the privileged, but for those who cannot afford representation, whose voices are drowned out by wealth and influence,” he said.
“Some of you here will go on to become justices and judges, others will lead corporations and industries, and many will dedicate their lives to public service. But no matter where our careers take us, we must never forget this fundamental truth: we are all, at our core, defenders of the law and stewards of justice,” he stressed.
The House leader threw questions at his fellow lawyers: “When our careers are over, when the last case has been argued and the last motion filed, how will we be remembered? Will we be known for our victories in court, or for the justice we helped uphold? Will we be counted among those who profited from the law, or among those who strengthened it for future generations?”
“The answers to these questions will define our legacy not just as individual lawyers, but as a profession,” he said.