Editor’s Note

The law is a medium for advocacy.

As such, the written and creative works published by thebarrister have the moral imperative of delving into the current socio-political issues pervading our society. Reeling from the chaos wreaked by the quiet cacophony of the pandemic and the restructuring of society that followed, the ear-splitting noise of it all has simply become impossible to ignore.

Hence, for its first issue this publication year, thebarrister offers its perspective on groundbreaking news and current events that are happening beyond the lion’s den. While we strive to read the law endlessly and prepare for arduous recitations with our professors on the daily, tensions in the West Philippine Sea have been consistently escalating; Bamban-Mayor Alice Guo is accused of being a Chinese spy; and Pastor Apollo Quiboloy of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ is facing several charges for sex trafficking and other crimes.

Our society is ill, and we can no longer close our eyes to its disease.

Whether we like it or not, the outcome of these stories will affect the way we live and our history as a people. Churchill once opined that “history is written by the victors,” and it is as true now as it was then. Our history and collective unconscious are molded, repurposed, weaponized, and bastardized by those who are in power—those who can control the media, those who can pay trolls on the internet, and those who can seemingly manipulate senate inquiries and disregard the rule of law. These stories should disturb us and shatter the illusion that we are in control of our own futures. At the end of the day, after hurdling our examinations and claiming our titles in the legal profession, is there anything left for us to live for?

Fittingly enough, the first issue of thebarrister also pays tribute to the life and legacy of our former publication adviser and the epitome of a truly honorable Bedan lawyer, Senator Rene Saguisag. He was—and still is––larger than life. He lent his voice to the oppressed; he fought against dictatorship; and he firmly believed in the rule of law as a means to balance the scales of justice. While he has lived in an entirely different time, we are still fighting the same ills that rot our very foundation. And despite such, he persisted.

It is my firm hope and belief that the stories we have chosen to share for the first issue will disturb the safety bubble that even the most privileged Bedan enjoys. While our sense of control may be an illusion, it is entirely up to us to cultivate our sense of hope and purpose—which in turn will ultimately guide our actions that determine who we are and what we mean to the communities that we are a part of.

To hope is to be radical, and to be radical, we must resist.