Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Maria Filomena D. Singh urged lawyers in government service to help in the administration of justice “by doing our work faithfully and upholding the rule of law.”
Justice Singh reminded all lawyers that when they took their oaths, they “automatically become officers of the court” and are “duty-bound to help in the administration of justice.”
She addressed government lawyers during the orientation on the Conduct of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (CPRA) in the event held in Quezon City.
Present during the event held last Dec. 1 were lawyers from the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Commission on Audit, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Anti-Red Tape Authority, Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation, and the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development.
The event was spearheaded by Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo and PCC Commissioners Marah Victoria S. Querol, Lolibeth Ramit-Medrano, and Ferdinand M. Negre.
Also in attendance was Atty. Markus H. Meier, acting director of the Bureau of Competition of the United States Federal Trade Commission.
Justice Singh was vice-chairperson of the SC’s sub-committee for the revision of CPRA which had been described by Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo as the “bible” for all lawyers and the “compass” that would direct them “towards moral and just conduct.”
The CPRA, which revised the 34-year-old Code of Professional Responsibility (CPR) of lawyers, was launched by the SC at the Manila Hotel last April 13 and became effective last May 30.
Justice Singh told government lawyers: “Ethics is about everyday consciousness of what is proper and improper. It is a way of life.”
The new CPRA is in line with the “Campaign for Ethical Responsibility initiative under Outcome 1: Efficiency of the Judiciary’s blueprint of action for judicial reform, the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027 (SPJI),” she said.
She stressed that the CPRA “is values-based, focusing on the Canons of Independence, Propriety, Fidelity, Competence and Diligence, Equality, and Accountability.”
On request of the organizers and the participants, Justice Singh administered the new Lawyer’s Oath to all lawyers who attended the event.
Chief Justice Gesmundo had said: “CPRA is no mere revision; it is an overhaul -- an overhaul on the approach and attitude by lawyers of their ethical responsibility in the new era of law practice -- an era of more attuned, more responsible, and more accountable legal practice.”
He also said: “In a world where the rule of law is the cornerstone of justice, it is our duty, as members of the legal profession, to adhere to the highest standards of ethical conduct and professional responsibility.”
“In our pursuit of truth and justice, we must be mindful of fostering an environment of respect for law and of our fellow men and women. It is only by this manner that we can preserve the moral standard of society, promote the administration of justice, and contribute in building a more just and peaceful society for all,” he stressed.
The CPRA was approved unanimously last April 11 by the 15-justice SC after conducting Ethics Caravan -- a series of consultative discussions -- in the cities of Cebu, Davao, Naga, Baguio, and Manila.