 It is snail-paced. A lot of dilatory motions and postponements.

 Theoretically, it is for me one of the best, but its administration is one of the worst. You
read law books and feel the spirit of the law but when you see how it is rendered or
administered, you’ll get frustrated (not all the time).
 It is idealistic yet not so responsive to the current needs. Take for example the anti-
hazing law which needs revision.
 Fines are outdated due to inflation. Until now, you’ll see fines amounting to P100.00
which is neglible compared to the violation committed.
 It is sometimes politicized. The Judiciary branch of the government is supposed to be
independent but the Justices in the High Court are appointed by the Executive
branch. Seriously, this needs to be remedied.
 Government does not give enough budget for the Judiciary. I’ve been to some courts
in our region but the facilities are outdated, rooms are mostly crowded.
 It is still very much worthy of the faith of the Filipinos despite all the odds. If you try to
read Supreme Court decisions, you’ll learn that these Justices really uphold the law.
As they oftentimes say, it is the last bulwark of the people when the other branches of
the government are committing grave errors.
 It’s for sale. I’ve seen a local drug dealer get to do what he wants
until the war on drugs had locals along with local pulis took him
down. He was always able to buy his innocent judgement. I saw a
family with a relative in high court sue and win the right to own a
complete barangay with 100s of homes that are lived in for
decades by people with their own claim to it. Granted, the follow
up cases are taking away that courts decision. Just to show how
corrupt and open to purchase it is. 150K php($3K usd) will get you
an annulment in under 12 months. A nice chunk of the 150K php is
to pay the judge for an expedited decision in your favor.
 There are some cases that are done through the proper legal
means via the letter/intent of the law, and those take a very, very
long time
 The justice system in the Philippines is mixed legal system
of civil, common, Islamic, and customary law. The formal
system of trials, appeals, and prisons is similar to that of the
United States. Civil code procedures on family and
property and the absence of jury trial were attributable to
Spanish influences, but most important statutes governing
trade and commerce, labor relations, taxation, banking and
currency, and governmental operations were of United
States derivation, introduced at the beginning of the
twentieth century. Most of the laws, official notices and
court decisions, including those by the Supreme Court, are
in English. Even the Constitution is published more often in
English than Tagalog. The bar exams are in English.
 In December 2011, chief justice Renato Cororna was impeached by the Philippine
Senate, with 16 senators voting to impeach him and three senators voting for
acquittal. He was impeached because he di not declare 183 pesos in his SALN, a
public document required that officials do not accept bribes or are not prone to
corruption. Chief Jusice Corona’s non-declaration of assets close to 200 million
pesos hinted suspicious regarding the source of these funds and that these may be
considered ill-gotten wealth.
 In a prior case, a court interpreter, Delsa Flores was fired after she had failed to
declare a market stall in her SALN. The senators who impeached Corona stated that
the law should apply to all. One can interpret the event as a victory over
corruption, but in the Philippines, this is not as simple as it looks. Others interpret
the event as a political move by the Aquino administration to take away the
obstruction blocking them from prosecuting former President Gloria Arroyo. Be
that showed that the checks and balances in the Philippine government are alive
and well, and that no one is above the law.
1 These are the accouterments of her office:
2 the blindfold symbolizing impartiality;
3 a golden pair of scales measuring the validity
4 of evidence given both pro and con
5 the double-edged sword that pierces through
6 the thick fabric of lies; Thoth's feather
7 of truth which ultimately determines whether
8 The defendant's life is worth saving.
9 In J. Elizalde Navarro's oil painting
 10Is this Philippine Justice? The figure
 11 of the Roman goddess Justitia slowly fades
 12 into thin air, swallowed by
 13cloudy as doubts. In my uncertain country
 14 where right and wrong are
 that can be shuffled like a pile of money bills,
 16 even the land's Chief Magistrate
 17 is not immune from culpability; found guilty
 18 he has to face the music of
 PARTS OF THE POEM SYMBOL MEANING OF SYMBOL
LINE 2 BLINDFOLD IMPARTIALTY OF JUSTICE;
JUSTICE HAS NO FAVORITES,
IT IS OBJECTIVES
LINE 3 GOLDEN PAIR OF SCALES (1)
LINE 5 DOUBLE-EDGE SWORD (2)
LINE 6 THOTH’S FEATHER OF TRUTH (3)
LINE 11 PAINTING “IS THIS (4)
PHILIPPINE JUSTICE?” WITH
JUSTITIA FADING INTO
AIR..”CLOUDY AS DOUBTS”
LINE 14 “…RIGHT AND WRONG ARE (5)
CARDS THAT CAN BE
SHUFFLED LIKE A PILE OF
MONEY BILLS..”
LLINE 18 “…FACE THE MUSIC OF (6)
DERISION.”
1. Why are symbols important in a poem? Explain what some of the symbols mean,
and how they add to the meaning of the poem?
2. Why are symbols important in the life of the nations? What do people get from
the symbols of a nation?
3. Why does the poem describe the Philippines as “my uncertain country”?
4. What does the simile, ”right and wrong can be shuffled like cards” mean? What
does this mean when it comes to any of the following: politics and politicians, the
police, and the justice system?
5. What is the poem trying to say about the difference between justice in the
Philippines and justice anywhere else?
6. Of all the objects that Justice owns, which do you think is the most
important? Why?
7. Why does Justitia look like she is fading in the painting, “is this
philippines justice?
8. Why money is mention in the poem?
9. Why was it important for the Chief Justice to be impeached? What is
the message for Filipino government officials?
10. Why does the Chief Justice have to “face the music of derision”? Is
the derided, not only for his crime, but because he was caught?