By CESAR JOLITO III
Negros Occidental 3rd District Representative Javier Miguel Benitez is pushing for the creation of a free, consolidated and artificial intelligence (AI)-searchable database of Philippine laws and court rulings, warning that access to justice in the country has effectively become divided between those who can afford legal resources and those who cannot.
Speaking before the House of Representatives, Benitez said he would file a measure establishing a national legal database that would make statutes and jurisprudence easily accessible to the public.
“The law you cannot read” was how the lawmaker described the current state of the country’s legal system, where Filipinos are bound by laws that many struggle to locate or understand.
While legal texts are technically available through government platforms such as the Official Gazette and the Supreme Court E-Library, Benitez argued that practical access remains limited because updated, searchable and consolidated versions are often locked behind paid commercial subscriptions.
“A Makati firm pays without a second thought. A farmer in Victorias will never see it,” he said.
Benitez anchored his proposal on Article 3 of the Civil Code, which states that ignorance of the law excuses no one.
He argued that if citizens can be penalized for violating laws, the government must ensure that laws are genuinely accessible and understandable to the public.
He also cited the landmark Supreme Court ruling in Tañada vs. Tuvera, which established that publication of laws is indispensable.
To highlight the scale of the problem, Benitez pointed to data from the World Justice Project showing that only one in five Filipinos facing legal problems can access legal assistance.
He added that the Public Attorney’s Office handles more than 850,000 cases annually with around 2,400 lawyers.
The Philippines also ranked 97th out of 143 countries in the 2025 Rule of Law Index and 13th out of 15 countries in its region.
“A right you cannot find is not really a right at all,” the congressman stressed.
Benitez said the proposed system would serve as “digital public infrastructure for the rule of law itself,” noting that similar platforms already exist in other countries, including the European Union, India, Australia, Kenya, and the United States through Cornell University’s Legal Information Institute.
He also referenced the $287-million World Bank-backed digital infrastructure facility secured by the Philippine government in 2024, saying the legal database could become part of the country’s broader digital modernization efforts.
“A national legal database is not a new burden. It is one more room in a house we are already building,” he said.
The lawmaker added that the Philippines could take advantage of advances by building AI systems anchored on verified and consolidated Philippine legal data, reducing the risk of inaccurate or fabricated legal information.
Benitez clarified that the proposal would not eliminate private legal publishers, saying they could still compete through legal commentary, analysis and value-added services./CJ, WDJ