*Dr. Rodolfo John Ortiz Teope, PhD, EdD
One evening, while browsing the internet, I came across a flood of comments from netizens bashing our non-lawyer legislators. Many were quick to say that senators or congressmen who are not lawyers have no right to sit in the halls of legislation. They argue that without legal training, these officials lack the wisdom to craft laws. But as I reflected on it, I realized how misguided this view is. Legislation is not about practicing law inside the legislative hall—it is about wisdom, experience, and understanding the needs of the people. A lawmaker does not need to be a lawyer to make meaningful laws; rather, they need to be in touch with the realities of the nation they serve.
This confusion becomes even more obvious when people mix up a Congressional or Senate investigation with a court trial. To many, the fiery exchanges and the grandstanding in legislative hearings look like a courtroom drama. Witnesses are called, documents are subpoenaed, and people are questioned under oath. But the purpose is not the same. An investigation in aid of legislation in the Senate and House of Representatives. It is about uncovering facts to identify gaps in our existing laws or policies, and using those findings to craft reforms. It is not designed to convict, punish, or acquit—that is the work of the judiciary.
A court trial, by contrast, is the arena of lawyers and judges. In the courtroom, evidence is presented and challenged, arguments are meticulously laid down, and the final judgment carries the weight of the law. At the end of a trial, a person is either acquitted or convicted, fined or imprisoned. It is here that lives and reputations are truly decided.
That is why it is unfair to belittle non-lawyer legislators when they hold investigations. Their role is not to practice law like attorneys in court, but to gather enough truth and insight to shape the nation’s policies. In fact, the best laws often come not from legal jargon but from real stories—the farmer struggling with land rights, the fisherfolk defending our seas, the worker crying for fair wages. These experiences are not learned in law school; they are learned from life itself.
As I thought further, I saw that this misunderstanding is not harmless. When people expect legislative hearings to function like trials, they also expect instant justice. And when justice does not come, they grow cynical. But we must remember: justice belongs to the courts; reform belongs to the legislature. A legislative hearing may expose a corrupt deal or a flawed system, but it cannot make final judgement and sentence them for a crime. What it can and should do is ensure that new laws are passed so that such abuses never happen again.
This distinction matters because our democracy rests on balance. Congress looks forward: “What laws can prevent this in the future?” Courts look backward: “Who broke the law, and how should they be punished?” Both roles are essential, and both must work in harmony if we want real justice and progress.
Yet, there is also a painful reality. Too often, our hearings become political theater, and our trials drag on endlessly. This erodes trust. Still, I believe in the framework. If our legislators, lawyer or not, embrace sincerity and integrity, and if our courts uphold fairness without delay, then the system can still work for the people.
Browsing the internet that night, I realized the bashing of
non-lawyer legislators missed the point entirely. The measure of a good
lawmaker is not whether he or she can cite Latin maxims or recite legal
precedents—it is whether they can listen, understand, and respond to the needs
of their people. Legislation is about wisdom, conscience, and courage. And in
the end, both investigations in aid of legislation and court trials must serve
the same higher goal: to ensure that truth and justice are not just ideals, but
realities in the life of the Filipino.
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