Press Release
June 13, 2014

LET JUSTICE PREVAIL IN THIS LAND: LET'S CONFIRM THE AD INTERIM APPOINTMENT OF JUSTICE SECRETARY LEILA M. DE LIMA

Sponsorship Speech of Sen. Aquilino Martin Pimentel III for the Confirmation of the Appointment of the Honorable Leila M. de Lima as Secretary of Justice June 11, 2014

I have the distinct honor and privilege to request the Honorable Members of the Commission on Appointments to confirm the ad interim appointment of the Honorable Leila M. De Lima as Secretary of Justice.

I do so, ladies and gentlemen of this Honorable Commission, knowing that we are consciously raising the bar of justice... not only for the guidance of the present administration but for the well-being of future generations of our people as well.

I have no wish to use flowery words or glowing hallelujahs to draw your approval for the confirmation of the ad interim appointment of Secretary de Lima as head of the Department of Justice.

For the truth of the matter is that Secretary Leila M. de Lima fully deserves the position of Secretary of Justice - with no offense meant to anyone.

From the onset of the administration of President Noynoy Aquino, in her stint as acting justice secretary, she has discharged her duties with sublime intentions and steadfast devotion to the cause of human rights and justice for all.

Everybody knows that she is widely regarded as a grizzled veteran on human rights cases, and, a legal luminary in election controversies, even as she is at present deeply involved in giving meaning and substance to the government's slogan calling on people to take the path less travelled, that is popularly cited as the "daang matuwid."

By attending to her task as demanded by her office, there is no doubt that she is stepping on the toes of some powerful individuals. To the personalities concerned, may I suggest that you take what is coming your way as an unavoidable risk for those of us who have chosen politics as our avenue of public service. There in the arena of partisan politics, whether deserved or undeserved, politicians like us, are thrust into the limelight of discharging our duties as public servants. And there - considering the times we live in - people tend to look upon us as Hercules reborn who has to cleanse the Aegean stables of filth, decay and despair in our society.

More often than not, then, we get embroiled in uncomfortable situations.

Thus, I do not think that it is called for, just or proper to take the investigations being conducted by the Secretary of Justice as scores to be settled against her. Because we know that she is only performing her duties pursuant to the Constitution, and the Law, and more particularly, according to her conscience.

If in the said investigations, she is taking a partisan line, or shortcuts in the law, or is merely aiming for media mileage, she would be raising doubts in the hearts and minds of the members of this Commission, and more worrisome, of the people in general, that she is not fit to be our country's Justice Secretary.

But, the truth is that she is not guilty of doing any of those detestable acts or of being motivated by ill-intentions.

I can only hope then that those who are implicated in the investigations being conducted by the Department of Justice under her stewardship would look at those circumstances as opportunities to prove that in this country, we are governed by the Rule of Law, where truth and justice will ultimately prevail even in the cases that we are, at times, forced to face.

In short, my dear colleagues, those concerned need not despair for the truth will come out and set you free!

In this regard, I feel confident that Secretary de Lima would be the last person who would block your enjoyment of that freedom when the truth, itself, and justice, too, rid you of false accusations that might have come your way.

For I believe with all my heart that the search for truth and justice was the underlying factor why she has taken the oath to serve our people in the Department of Justice.

Hence, it is my humble submission that because Secretary Leila de Lima is doing her duties as best she can, she is now nationally, a household name - as the epitome of a good public servant. It is, to my mind, an invaluable testimony to the appropriateness of her credentials for that singular presidential cabinet office, which, above all others, is dedicated to the pursuit of truth, freedom, and justice for the common good.

I need not enumerate her accomplishments because they are of common knowledge to the public. Most of us know her official achievements, and her pet advocacies for good governance. I personally know of her struggle to correct the Maguindanao Electoral Massacre of 2007.

Neither do I need to mention her impressive curriculum vitae. I trust that everyone of us has gone over it.

I would rather go straight to the point: the country needs Leila de Lima as Secretary of Justice. Her character, her competence, and her courage attest to her utter fitness for the position to which President Noynoy Aquino had appointed her. In short, we need Justice Secretary de Lima to move this country forward in the direction of peace, freedom, and justice.

To exaggerate a bit, Mr. Chairman, and Members of the Commission, if she had been born in the times of Greek Mythology, she would most likely have been the combined incarnate of Themis, the Greek Goddess of Law, Order, and Custom, and of Metis, the Greek Goddess of Wisdom and Prudence.

The traits attributed to those Greek goddesses are replicated in her person by the way she is cautiously handling the so-called exposes that, otherwise, would recklessly ruin the reputations of individuals who are supposedly mentioned in unsigned affidavits that were brought to her attention. Unsigned affidavits, as all lawyers know, are no affidavits at all. They have no legal value, and are as worthless as the scraps of paper our street cleaners sweep every day from the sidewalks of our cities.

As I respectfully ask and solicit your support for the confirmation of the ad interim appointment of Ms. Leila M. de Lima as Secretary of Justice, may I humbly underscore this outstanding facet of her life that she has demonstrated, and continues to demonstrate: Ms. Leila M. de Lima fights for justice, and she will do us justice. Not for her own welfare but for the good of our country and people. She has "the singular tenacity to do what needs to be done, without fear or favor".

Hence, may I reiterate for all of us to please vote for the confirmation of the ad interim appointment of the Honorable Leila de Lima as Secretary of Justice in the administration of His Excellency, President Benigno S. Aquino III.

Maraming Salamat po.

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