17-07-2025
Leonen calls for review of criminal laws
Supreme Court (SC) Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen has called for a review of the country's criminal laws, noting that 'outdated' crimes are still included.
According to a statement, Leonen stressed that the Revised Penal Code still includes crimes such as dueling, unjust vexation, and malicious mischief.
Leonen said this must be decriminalized.
He also said that some penalties do not match the seriousness of the crime as he pushed for a transformative justice system that is rooted in empathy and compassion.
He noted that those often caught breaking the law are the poor, who lead different lives from the privileged.
'We must offer them avenues such as restorative justice, not only to provide them with opportunities to exercise their rights, but especially to offer them a genuine chance at reform,' said Leonenn.
'We should proceed with the assumption that every human person has dignity and can live meaningful lives,' he added.
He also urged the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology to implement reforms to reduce the suffering of individuals within the justice system.
Meanwhile, Leonen stressed the importance of using the law to protect dignity and promote justice.
'Our focus should not be on unquestionably upholding established doctrines and systems, but in using the law to uphold human dignity and social justice in all phases,' he said.
Leonen issued this during his speech at the Restorative Justice Training and Conference 2025 held on July 9 in Quezon City. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
