Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo rallied the country’s lawyers to align the rapid growth and innovation of modern technology with the “ethical standards and dictates of fairness and justice.”
In his speech during the 20th national convention of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) in Cebu City on Thursday, Jan. 30, Chief Justice Gesmundo reminded that while technology is a tool that enhances lawyers’ functions, “it cannot replace the critical thinking and moral responsibility intrinsic to our profession.”
Thus, he said, the IBP “plays a critical role.”
“The IBP's mission to elevate our profession, enhance justice, and bear our public responsibilities effectively calls upon all lawyers to not only be headstrong in the face of modernization, but also lead it with conviction,” he stressed.
In the judiciary, the Chief Justice said that “it is our duty to responsibly infuse our legal system with innovations that promote transparency, accuracy, and efficiency, which in turn enables us to uphold justice as a cornerstone of our democracy.”
“Hence, lawyers must also ensure that technology serves to democratize legal information and service, to reach particularly the underserved populations,” the pointed out.
The IBP was set up in 1973 as the country’s official organization of lawyers. Under the Rules of Court, lawyers are “officers of the court” with specific responsibilities to uphold the integrity of the legal system.
The discipline of lawyers is under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court (SC) which can initiate disciplinary actions either motu proprio (on its own initiative) or on verified complaint filed with the IBP.
On modern technologies, Gesmundo cited artificial intelligence (AI) that revolutionizes legal research and allows insights and prediction with unprecedented efficiency through a click of the button.
He also said that blockchain technology “promises secure, transparent transaction recording, and case management, which can significantly streamline the workflow of lawyers.”
At the same time, he cited that data analytics, “which examines statistics and patterns in case law, empowers us to predict legal outcomes and identify pressing systemic issues.”
He said: “As we recognize the immense potential of these tools, we also must acknowledge the challenges they present. The pace of technological evolution often outstrips the pace of human comprehension and regulatory frameworks.”
“So, as we navigate these advancements, it is vital that we cultivate the patience and stamina required to understand how they are poised to reshape not only the practice of law but also our society as a whole,” he also said.
He then cited that under the five-year Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations (SPJI), the SC “seeks to create a more efficient, transparent, and accessible justice system, through the institution of a technologically-driven judiciary.”
“The SC aims to put technology at the forefront, making it the platform for running court systems and processes,” Gesmundo said.
He said the SC has instituted the e-Payment Solution or JePS which allows the assessment and payment of legal fees and other collections of the Judiciary in a more convenient and accessible manner.
The JePS, he explained, “also provides litigants, their counsels, and persons requesting clearances, certifications, and other services from the courts, the option to pay online through major banks and digital wallets.”
He also said the SC now has online resources for judges and practitioners such as the digitized Benchbook for Philippine Trial Courts and the Philippine Reports, and digital platforms for bar and judicial applications under Bar Applicant Registration Information System and Tech Assistance or the “BARISTA” and Judicial and Bar Council’s Online Registration and Application System or O.R.A.S.
Through BARISTA and O.R.A.S., “we hope to lessen, if not totally eliminate, the inefficiencies which impose unnecessary burdens on court personnel, bar applicants and judicial aspirants alike,” he added.
At the same time, Gesmundo said the Guidelines on Submission of Electronic Copies of Pleadings and other Court Submissions before the lower courts that makes “the unnecessary use of paper and other vital resources now becomes a thing of the past.”
The SC, he said, has been pilot testing AI technologies, including voice-to-text transcription software for court stenographers in the Sandiganbayan and multiple first and second-level courts.”
The AI-enhanced platforms designed to streamline legal research are already being tested in various offices within the SC, he also said.
Gesmundo declared: “These steps are just the beginning, as we recognize that understanding and adapting to these changes require rigorous training and a commitment to continuous improvement. With tools that streamline legal research, enhance case management, and improve access to justice, lawyers can become more efficient advocates for clients and communities.”
He then reminded IBP members: “Just as we eagerly embrace technology, we must remain steadfast in our commitment to justice, for efficiency is worthless without integrity and progress must be guided by our enduring principles. Let us infuse our profession with the spirit of innovation, while fortifying it with the ethics that have long defined our practice.”
During the first day of the convention on Thursday, Jan. 30, President Marcos urged IBP members to act as “agents of justice’ by upholding truth, fairness, and dignity in the face of challenges brought about by technological innovations.
The President reminded the country’s lawyers to uphold the highest standards and embrace the ideals of integrity and service.
With Chief Justice Gesmundo during the convention which winds up on Saturday, Feb. 1, are SC Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen and Associate Justices Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa, Ramon Paul L. Hernando, Amy C. Lazaro-Javier, Henri Jean Paul B. Inting, Rodil V. Zalameda, Mario V. Lopez, Samuel H. Gaerlan, Ricardo R. Rosario, Jhosep Y. Lopez, Japar B. Dimaampao, Jose Midas P. Marquez, Antonio T. Kho Jr., and Maria Filomena D. Singh.
The IBP is headed by its National President Antonio C. Pido.