By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — Chief Justice Rodil V. Zalameda has called on members of the Judiciary to exercise judicial authority with restraint, independence and careful judgment, stressing that court decisions carry consequences that directly affect people and public institutions.
Speaking during the conferment of an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by the University of the East on October 27, 2026, Zalameda said judicial decisions can determine personal liberty, property rights and access to justice, while also shaping constitutional principles and public confidence in the rule of law.
He emphasized that judges must remain faithful to the Constitution, statutes and legal precedents while recognizing the real-world consequences of their rulings.
“The authority to decide carries with it the responsibility to decide carefully,” Zalameda said.
He also cautioned that sensitivity to the consequences of judicial decisions must never become a license for judges to substitute personal views for the requirements of law.
Zalameda, a UE alumnus who earned his law degree from Ateneo de Manila University, previously served as a prosecutor and Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court before assuming the country’s highest judicial post.
The university cited his contributions to judicial reforms, including work on criminal procedure, extradition rules and the Judiciary Marshals Act, in conferring the honorary degree.
ia/xf
