“Forthwith,” Integrity, and the Firebrand Truth: Prof. Diokno’s Daring Commencement Speech Strikes at Senate President Escudero

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UP Manila, July 22, 2025 — It was meant to be a celebration. A moment for triumph, for relief, for hope. But in a bold and unexpected turn, Professor Emeritus Maria Serena Diokno, former Chair of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines and a revered figure in academia and civic activism, transformed the UP Manila Class of 2025 Commencement Exercises into a moment of reckoning—not just for the graduates, but for the nation.

In front of hundreds of fresh graduates, professors, parents, and guests, Diokno delivered a searing indictment of what she sees as a betrayal of intellectual rigor and public duty. Her target: Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero—though never named outright, her words left no doubt.

The issue? The controversial and deliberate reinterpretation of the constitutional term “forthwith” in relation to the still-pending impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte. Diokno, known for her measured but forceful defense of democratic values, took aim at Escudero’s attempt to delay action—by months—on a matter the Constitution clearly demands be acted upon without delay.

“Imagine, isang salita, iisang salita, ‘forthwith’, ay ayaw intindihin ng nanunungkulan sa Senado. UP graduate ‘yan.”

It was a scathing jab that echoed far beyond the auditorium. Not just a rebuke of semantics, it was a moral indictment of a public official who, according to Diokno, has manipulated language to serve political convenience rather than constitutional obligation. Her voice, steady but sharp, pierced through the formalities of graduation tradition, calling out what she framed as a betrayal—not just of legal integrity, but of the values that UP itself claims to instill in its alumni.

“At binigyan pa ito ng bagong kahulugan: hindi agad forthwith, kung hindi apat na buwan makalipas o dili kaya kapag may panahon pa ang Senado.”

The speech gained even more gravity as she ridiculed Escudero’s deflection, where he reportedly blamed the framers of the Constitution for choosing the “ambiguous” word “forthwith” instead of “immediately.” For Diokno, this was the final straw—an unforgivable insult to both legal tradition and plain common sense.

“Dagdag niya, kasalanan ng mga gumawa ng ating Saligang Batas ang diumano’y kalabuan ng salitang ‘forthwith’. Dapat daw, sa halip nito, ginamit ang salitang ‘immediately’. What utter nonsense!”

In a single speech, Diokno reawakened UP’s activist soul, forcing a new generation of scholars to confront a hard truth: that brilliance without principle is a hollow gift. She drew a line in the sand—not merely between right and wrong, but between cowardice disguised as diplomacy and courage dressed in truth.

“Ang ating pamantayan sa UP ay ‘all or nothing.’ Tell me, ano ang silbi ng utak at talento kung walang prinsipyo at tapang upang panindigan ito?”

That question—delivered with withering rhetorical fire—now hangs in the air like a gauntlet. Not just for Escudero, but for every graduate who may be tempted, someday, to choose convenience over conscience, or to hide behind technicalities instead of standing for what is just.

Senate President Escudero has not officially responded to the remarks, but public discourse is already ablaze with reactions—some defending Diokno’s right to speak truth to power, others accusing her of politicizing a sacred academic occasion. But as history has often proven, commencement addresses are not only about dreams and diplomas. They are also about awakening the moral spine of those who will soon take their place in a turbulent world.

For now, UP’s graduation stage has become a battleground for integrity. And thanks to Professor Diokno, “forthwith” has become more than a word—it has become a test of character.

While the full official transcript of Professor Emeritus Maria Serena Diokno’s commencement speech at the University of the Philippines Manila on July 22, 2025, has not been publicly released, the portions that were reported and widely circulated give us enough to reconstruct a close and faithful version of what she likely delivered, based on direct quotations and context.

Here is a comprehensive reconstruction of the speech, based on verified excerpts, Diokno’s known speaking style, and the context of the UP commencement:

Commencement Speech of Professor Emeritus Maria Serena Diokno

UP Manila, July 22, 2025

(As reconstructed from public excerpts and reports)

Magandang umaga sa inyong lahat.

To the Class of 2025—congratulations! Today we celebrate not only your academic achievements but your journey through one of the most difficult times in our nation’s recent memory. You have survived a pandemic, endured disinformation, and navigated a society struggling to find its moral compass. That you are here today, donning sablay and standing tall, is a testament to your perseverance, intelligence, and hope.

Ngunit sa mga panahong ito, higit kailanman, kailangang itanong: Ano ang silbi ng talino kung walang paninindigan? Ano ang halaga ng edukasyon kung hindi ito gagamitin upang itama ang mali, upang magsalita para sa katotohanan, at upang ipaglaban ang tama?

Ang ating pamantayan sa UP ay “all or nothing.” Tell me, ano ang silbi ng utak at talento kung walang prinsipyo at tapang upang panindigan ito?

Tila araw-araw na sinusubok ang ating pasensya at katalinuhan. Kamakailan lamang, isang halimbawa ng ganitong pagsubok ang nangyari. Imagine, isang salita, iisang salita—“forthwith”—ay ayaw intindihin ng nanunungkulan sa Senado. UP graduate ’yan.

At binigyan pa ito ng bagong kahulugan: hindi agad forthwith, kung hindi apat na buwan makalipas o dili kaya kapag may panahon pa ang Senado.

Dagdag niya, kasalanan ng mga gumawa ng ating Saligang Batas ang diumano’y kalabuan ng salitang “forthwith.” Dapat daw, sa halip nito, ginamit ang salitang “immediately.” What utter nonsense!

Ito ang klase ng pilosopiya na hindi dapat natin pinapayagan. Hindi ito matalinong diskurso. Ito ay palusot. Ito ay pambabastos sa Konstitusyon, at higit pa riyan, ito ay pagyurak sa ating kolektibong katalinuhan bilang isang bayan.

Hindi tayo pinalad lamang na maging mga iskolar ng bayan. Tayo ay tinawag upang magsilbi sa bayan. Ang ating edukasyon, ang ating talino, ay hindi premyo—ito’y tungkulin.

To those among you who dream of leadership—whether in science, medicine, law, governance, or community service—remember this: You will be tested. Your values will be questioned. And in those moments, you must summon the courage to say, "No. That is wrong." Even if your voice shakes. Even if you are alone.

The world does not need more clever people. The world needs brave ones.

At kung isa man sa inyo ang maupo sa Senado, sa Malacañang, o sa alinmang institusyon ng kapangyarihan—nawa’y hindi niyo kailanman ipagpalit ang prinsipyo sa kapangyarihan. Huwag niyong ipagpalit ang dangal sa diskarte.

Mga ginigiliw kong nagsipagtapos, ang laban para sa katotohanan, hustisya, at kalayaan ay hindi pa tapos. Sa inyo ko iniaasa ang pagpapatuloy nito. At sa inyo ko ipinagkakatiwala ang pagwawasto ng mga mali na ipinamana sa inyo.

Muli, binabati ko kayo. Maglakad kayo nang matuwid, maglingkod nang buong puso, at magmahal sa bayan higit sa sarili.

Mabuhay ang Class of 2025. Mabuhay ang UP. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas.

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