By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — Former Ombudsman and retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales delivered a pointed appeal for integrity and accountability, expressing concern over what she described as the growing disconnect between public office and adherence to the rule of law.
Speaking as guest speaker during the 115th Commencement Exercises of the University of the Philippines Diliman, Carpio-Morales urged graduates to uphold respect, ethical leadership and principled action at a time when democratic institutions are facing increasing challenges.
She said it is deeply troubling to witness elected officials and lawmakers becoming subjects of legal controversies, stressing that those entrusted to create and protect the law should also serve as its foremost examples.
The former Ombudsman warned that legal principles are increasingly being manipulated or interpreted to accommodate personal or political interests, weakening public confidence in institutions meant to safeguard justice.
Carpio-Morales also lamented what she sees as a declining culture of respect in Philippine society, saying the problem cuts across every level of government and social life.
According to her, those with the least influence are often the first to suffer whenever fairness and accountability are ignored, leaving marginalized sectors without meaningful protection.
She further cautioned against using the concept of respect as a shield against criticism, saying democratic societies depend on the free exchange of ideas and the willingness to question those in power.
Addressing the graduating class, Carpio-Morales emphasized that every profession carries a unique responsibility in strengthening democracy.
She said lawyers must remain committed to truth and justice, engineers and architects should build with integrity, journalists and artists must continue providing space for informed public discourse, while scientists and scholars should combine innovation with social responsibility.
In a lighthearted but pointed remark, she challenged aspiring lawyers to reflect on the importance of ethical conduct by observing current proceedings in the Senate, suggesting that real lessons in public accountability often unfold beyond the classroom.
Carpio-Morales reminded graduates that genuine character is not measured by popularity, political influence, dramatic speeches or public recognition, but by the values demonstrated through everyday decisions and conduct.
She concluded by encouraging Filipinos to rise above political noise and public spectacle, urging citizens to remain guided by conscience, reason and the pursuit of truth, emphasizing that truth gains its strength from evidence and integrity—not from the loudness of competing voices.
ia/xf
