Manila: The Supreme Court (SC), in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), has organized a workshop that gathered judicial leaders and court officials from South and Southeast Asia to help strengthen protections for judicial independence and integrity. The Regional Workshop on Judicial Security and Resilience: Implementing the Manila Statement on Judicial Integrity for South and South-East Asia, was held on May 7-8 at the EDSA Shangri-La in Mandaluyong City.
According to Philippines News Agency, the workshop supports the implementation of the Manila Statement on Judicial Integrity for South and South-East Asia adopted in November 2025. It addresses the increasing threats faced by courts, including organized crime, corruption, political interference, cyberattacks, and risks to the safety and well-being of judges and court personnel. The Manila Statement affirms that judicial independence is essential to the rule of law and public trust, and calls for proactive, system-wide actions, such as strengthened safeguards, ethical leadership, improved judicial security, and regional cooperation.
In her opening remarks, SC Associate Justice Maria Filomena D. Singh emphasized that judicial security is inseparable from judicial independence and public trust. She underscored that judicial security is essential to safeguarding both judicial independence and public confidence. Singh also noted that threats to judicial integrity have evolved beyond traditional means and now include digital and non-physical risks.
In her closing remarks, Court of Appeals Associate Justice Geraldine C. Fiel-Macaraig noted that while the discussions revealed shared vulnerabilities, they also reflected a collective resolve to uphold integrity, independence, justice, and the rule of law. Anna Ferry, Ambassador of Sweden to the Philippines, highlighted Sweden's support for initiatives that strengthen democratic institutions, transparency, and the rule of law, noting that judicial security is essential to maintaining public confidence in justice systems.
Benedikt Hofmann, Deputy Regional Representative of UNODC for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, underscored that threats to judicial integrity have become increasingly complex and transnational, emphasizing the need to equip judiciaries with practical tools, regional networks, and operational capacities to respond effectively. Signe Poulsen, Senior Human Rights Advisor of OHCHR, emphasized that protecting judges from intimidation, harassment, and undue interference is fundamental to the judiciary's role in protecting human rights. She added that genuine judicial resilience depends on strong physical and institutional protections.
