A Special Issue

April 2011

MAKE THE SUBIC CONVENTION YOUR SUMMER DESTINATION

n this special edition, The Bar Tribune puts the spotlight on this years biggest and much awaited jamboree of lawyers in Subic -- the 13th National IBP Convention. Slated on April 7-9, it carries the fitting theme -- Living up to the Standards of Integrity and Competence in the Legal Profession. It is back to basics, so to speak. While three IBP regions vied to host the convention, Central Luzon won hands down with its sterling gem, Subic. This bustling special economic zone lies at the heart of Luzon, easily accessible through modern expressways and boasts of world-class amenities, tourist attractions, and affordable hotels and inns. For a convention that falls on a summer vacation, Subic offers a perfect get-away for the family. To drum up support for the Subic jamboree, the IBP Board has reached out to the local chapters and law firms, engaging them in fruitful dialogues on the upcoming convention and other concerns. Despite the recent turmoil that rocked our organization, this years Subic convention promises to build a new standard in attendance and relevance. To make that happen, we have lined up a powerhouse mix of speakers, headed by Vice President Jejomar Binay and Chief Justice Renato Corona, the two highest ranking IBP members in officialdom. Sen. Chiz Escudero, Chair of the Senate Committee on Justice, DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima, Court Administrator Midas Marquez and Solicitor General Anselmo Cadiz will make a pitch for their pet legal advocacies. Two Associate Justices of the Supreme Court -- Roberto Abad and Ma. Lourdes Serreno -- will also indulge us with their current passions. For Justice Abad,

Message from the Host Region

he Venue for the National Convention is traditionally being rotated among the three islands of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Previously, the National Convention was held in Cagayan de Oro City in 2007 and in Bacolod City in 2009. This years venue is in the middle of the Island of Luzon, and right inside the bustling economic zone popularly known as Subic, the former US Naval Base. The convention will be held at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC) of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Olongapo City. From Manila, the convention center is easily reached through the Northern Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), the latter being the newest and most modern highway in the country. The IBP Board of Governors and the National Convention Committee have specially chosen SBECC in Subic because lawyers would have plenty of options on how to spend their stay in the Convention. Participants, their families and friends can enjoy the variety of nightlife, exquisite cuisine, several duty free shops, nature and adventure parks, complete watersports facilities, resorts and casinos, among others, and almost everything a convention participant would need in order to make their stay worth remembering. In order to encourage wide participation among lawyers all over the country, the IBP Board of Governors decided to have a National Olympics as a pre-convention activity on April 6, 2011. Foremost, the National Convention Committee prepared a very exciting program and invited legal luminaries to speak on important topics and timely issues that confront the legal profession. Our coming together in Subic is a wonderful opportunity for all of us to learn, discuss, play and act together as we recommit to fulfill our role in upgrading the standards of the legal profession, promoting the administration of justice and encouraging the Bar to discharge its public responsibility. Welcome to the IBP 13th National Convention of Lawyers! Welcome to Subic! Ferdinand Y. Miclat Governor for Central Luzon

revolutionizing trial proceedings; for Justice Serreno, upgrading judicial standards. Legal eagles will also take on the sizzling topics of the day, all MCLE credited. Topping the menu is the Webb decision (as revisited and dissected by the defense and prosecution panels based on the rules of evidence); the crisis in Libya and the Middle East (and the relevance of an international criminal court); proper legal citation (or how to avoid plagiarism), Charter Change and Federalism (timely and necessary?). Also on the menu are the modern tools in human rights advocacy (the writs of personal liberties) and effective litigation (maximizing the advantages of discovery proceedings). Additional post-convention servings will also be dished out for those who want a full 36-unit MCLE course. As a fitting finale to the convention, the plenary session will tackle the unfinished business of the 2010 House of Delegates Convention -- the CLAS (Comprehensive Legal Aid Service) and the proposed amendments to the IBP By-laws. But not everything is serious business. Fellowship and funfilled activities will spice up the entire affair. Feel the summer heat with the Clark and Subic IBP National Olympics (a day before the convention), a first-of-its kind Miss IBP National contest, IBP Inter-Regional Talent Show, and a night of solidarity with the Bench and special awards and prizes. So, mark and save the date, April 7-9, in your court and business calendars. Take a break and treat yourself learn, join the fun, and earn MCLE credits. Come to exotic Subic and partake of this years meaningful, enriching and fun-filled 13th National Convention of Lawyers. ROAN I. LIBARIOS Executive Vice President

Vice President Binay

Chief Justice Corona

all systems go in subic

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Volume 7 No. 1
15 J.Vargas Ave., Ortigas Center, Pasig City Tel. No. 63.2 6313014 Telefax No. 63.2 9100417 Website: www.ibp.ph Email: journal@ibp.ph

ts all systems go for the 13th National Convention of Lawyers of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) on April 7-9 at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center.
the National Bench and Bar Dialogue slated on the evening of the Conventions opening day, and swear into office newly-elected IBP officers and directors for the 2011-2013 term. Convention delegates stand to earn 20 to 36 units of MCLE credits. The list of convention speakers is a whos who of national figures and prominent members of the Bar and Bench, among them: Sen. Francis Escudero, SC Associate Justices Roberto Abad and Ma. Lourdes Sereno, DOJ Sec. Leila de Lima, Court Administrator Midas Marquez, retired Associate Justice Vicente Mendoza, Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. and Dean Raul Pangalangan, among many others. The formal convention proper will be preceded by a day-long IBP National Olympics on April 6, 2011, featuring games to be held simultaneously at Mimosa, Clark Field and Subic. A photo exhibit and trade fair will also be opened in the afternoon of April 6. Local preparations for the NCL were undertaken by the host Zambales Chapter under immediate past president Atty. Deo Amor David and incumbent president Atty. Christopher Lawrence Monato. The Zambales Chapter is under the Central Luzon Region, headed by Governor Ferdinand Miclat.

Official Publication of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines

Oliver B. San Antonio

Editor-in-Chief

Jose E. San Diego Jr.

Editorial Consultant Contributor

Rosalie de la Cruz Henry D. Polanco

Graphic Artist

Aurora G. Geronimo Rhea B. Reburiano Eumir C. Lambino Vivian C. Capiznon

Staff
The Bar Tribune acknowledges the kind assistance extended by SBMA Deputy OIC for Corporate Communications Ms. Knette Fernando and her Staff Cover bird photograph courtesy of Alain Del B. Pascua of KAAKBAY, Wild Bird Club of the Philippines and Philippine Wild Bird Photography. More pictures of wild birds taken in their natural habitat can be viewed at http://www.alainpascua.smugmug.com and at http://www.facebook.com/alainpascua.

The theme for this years convention, Living Up to the Standards of Integrity and Competence in the Legal Profession, mirrors the challenges facing lawyers and the legal profession in the Philippines. The IBP has targeted the participation of some 4,000 lawyers from its 85 local chapters nationwide, two years after the 12th National Convention held in Bacolod City. It has made every effort to make this years convention the biggest in its 38-year history, holding consultations with its regional chapters to drum up interest and address every concern of its members. It has also tapped both traditional media and the internet to disseminate news on the important gathering. Olongapo City Mayor James Gordon Jr. and Zambales Provincial Governor Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. will present the symbolic keys to the city and province, respectively. Mayor Gordon and Governor Ebdane will join Representative Ma. Milagros Magsaysay of the First District of Zambales in welcoming the convention delegates. Vice President Jejomar C. Binay will deliver the keynote address on April 7, 2011. Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato C. Corona meanwhile will deliver his message on April 8. The Chief Justice will also grace

10 REASONS to be in subic
1 Strategic and exciting venue: Subic is a destination like no other
This years convention venue is right in the middle of Central Luzon, inside the bustling economic zone more popularly known as Subic, the former US naval base. The IBP Board of Governors and the National Convention Committee have specifically chosen Subic because of its world-class amenities. In addition, lawyers and their families would have plenty of activity options during their entire Convention stay. Everything that would make a participants visit memorable is there nature and outdoor activities, nightlife, exquisite cuisine, duty-free shopping, casinos, resorts and watersports facilities, among many others. From Manila, access to Subic is via the modern Northern Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX). Both freeways are great picturesque works of world-class engineering that put a premium on passenger safety and comfort. The SCTEX itself runs through several hills that were sloped to prevent erosion. Subic Bay Freeport is excitement capital, featuring some of the best world-class theme attractions such as Ocean Park Adventure (watch the school of dolphins), Treetop Adventure (ziplining), Zoobic Safari (see the tigers really up close) and Subic Sea Plane (fly to Mount Pinatubo). For natural attractions, theres Pamulaklakin Trails and Triboa Mangrove Park. There are also historic landmarks like the Spanish Gate and US ammunition bunkers. For sports buffs, theres a Basketball Gym, a Tennis Center, Track Oval, Water Sports, Yachting, Wreck Diving, Go Kart, Horseback Riding, Parasailing, Golf and Slide for Life. For sun, sea and sand lovers, theres Camayan Beach, All Hands Beach, Grande Island and Adventure Beach. For wellness tourists, theres the Ritz Spa, Larossa Spa, Sabay Spa, Brookes Aesthetics, Slimmers World, Tonton Thai Massage and Rehab Spa, among others. For night life, theres Pier 1, Sibil, Sazz Bar, Cork Room, Olongapo Entertainment Avenues and Casinos. For shopping, theres regular and duty-free shopping at Royal Subic Mall, Pure Gold and Freeport Exchange. And for dining, theres an assortment of international flavors and cuisine offered by Japanese, American, Korean, Chinese, Mediterranean and Filipino restaurants.
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The Lighthouse along Subic Bay

The Subic website says it in a nutshell. Catch the sun, revel in splendid nights with your colleagues, family and friends at the same time enjoy sunny picnics and dips in the beachpamper the mind, body and spirit, get a front row seat of natures sunset show

A Powerhouse Set of Speakers and Timely Topics

Affordable Convention Rates and Accommodations

Subic offers a range of accommodations that suit every budget dormitories, inns, apartels, hotels, villas, suites, lodges.
Information on accommodation choices are included in this magazine (see page 19). You can also check out the IBP website www.ibp.ph or the convention brochure for a listing of rates and contact details. For a unique experience, families may wish to try Subic Homes (former residences of US servicemen and their families) located within the freeport area itself. They offer home-awayfrom-home amenities, including central airconditioning, cable tv, wifi access and cooking facilities. For members coming in from Visayas and Mindanao, free transportation will be provided from the IBP national office in Ortigas all the way to Subic. (See bottom box) Theres also shuttle service within Subic to and from the Convention site. For transportation-related inquiries, please contact IBP Executive Director Atty. Jaime M. Vibar at 09189018027.

Listen to enlightening presentations on timely legal issues and trends from the countrys top government officials and the crme de la crme of the Bar and the Bench, including: Vice President Jejomar Binay, Guest of Honor & Keynote Speaker Chief Justice Renato Corona Sen. Francis Escudero SC Associate Justice Roberto Abad SC Associate Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno Retired SC Associate Justice Vicente Mendoza Associate CA Justice Magdangal de Leon DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima Court Administrator Midas Marquez Solicitor General Jose Anselmo Cadiz Legal luminaries from the judiciary, private practice, the academe and government who will discuss relevant topics include: Dean Raul Pangalangan (The International Criminal Court and Analysis of Events in the Middle East) Prof. Myrna Feliciano (Techniques on Legal Research and Citation) Rep. Neri Colmenares (The Writs of Personal Liberties and the Human Security Act) Sen. Aquilino Pimentel (Federalism) Retired SC Justice Mendoza (Charter Change: Is it Timely and Necessary?) SC Associate Justice Sereno (Judicial Standards for the Judiciary in the Philippines) CA Associate Justice de Leon (Maximizing the Advantages of Discovery Proceedings)

APRIL 6, 2011. TWO BUSES LEAVING IBP National Office for subic, first bus leaves 2:00 PM, second bus leaves 5:00 PM. APRIL 9, 2011. RETURN TRIP TO IBP National Office, ONE BUS ONLY, LEAVING SUBIC CONVENTION CENTER AT 5:00 PM.

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Lawyers from the prosecution and defense in the celebrated Vizconde case, including Atty. Magtanggol M. Castro from the Office of the Solicitor General and Attys. Zenaida OngkikoAcorda and Demetrio Custodio (Dissecting the Webb Decision based on the Rules of Evidence) SC Associate Justice Abad (Our Road Map to Change, as part of the National Bench and Bar Dialogue on the first night of the Convention proper)

convention venue itself. Get to know the faces behind the names. Various products and souvenirs would be available from a host of trade booth participants during the convention. Check out the many modern tools for legal research, including the new E-SCRA which will be demonstrated at the exhibit.

5 4 Games. Photo Exhibit. Convention Fair.

Solidarity and Fellowship Night with the Judiciary and other Stakeholders

Recharge and reinvigorate! Stretch your athletic muscles and sweat out the toxins in the IBP National Olympics, to be held on April 6 at various venues in Clark and Subic. Contact the event coordinators for registration and details: 1. Golf at Mimosa Clark Field Atty. Peng Villarama (0917-5319446) 2. Basketball Prosecutor Jon Roque (09053553909) and Atty. Butch Monato (0916-2764622) 3. Billiards Atty. Ellis Jacova (0916-7893504) and Atty. Wilson Chua (0917-8586345) 4. Practical Shooting Atty. Jun Samonte (09178488431) 5. Bowling Atty. Willy Arceo (0918-3929268), Atty. Gerry Gorospe (0919-6679808) and Atty. Jun Tolentino (0918-9100433) 6. Lawn Tennis Atty. Boy Camacho (0920-9522463) 7. Fun Run Ms. Melissa Valentino (0918-9055827) Interested participants may email their names to Overall Sports Coordinator Atty. Peng Villarama at jramalaw@yahoo.com. Check out the milestones and achievements of the IBP for the last two years in the photo exhibit at the
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Co-sponsored with the Philippine Judges Association and the Regional and Metropolitan Trial Courts, the Fellowship Nights theme is Simplifying and Improving the Litigation Process. SC Associate Justice Roberto Abad will deliver his lecture Our Road Map to Change which includes revolutionary reforms in trial proceedings and litigation. Chosen reactors include CA Presiding Justice Andres Reyes, Jr., Manila RTC Executive Judge Antonio Eugenio, Jr., and MTC Judge Jaime Santiago.

Up to 36 Units of MCLE Credits

To obtain the full 36 units of MCLE credit compliance, lawyers normally pay P9,000 to P10,000 as registration fees. For the 13th National Convention, participants shall only pay a maximum of P6,500 for full MCLE credits. All attendees get to earn 20 MCLE credit units during the Convention proper from April 7-9, with the option of completing the full 36 units or 16 additional units with the one-day extension on April 10, 2011, for an additional fee of only P1,500 on top of the P4,500 (pre-March 15 registration) / P5,000 (March 15 and beyond) Convention fee.

In addition, Mindanao Chapter members who are unable to pre-register but attend and pay on-site get a P1,000 discount on the normal registration fee (or P4,000) while Visayas Chapter members get a P500 discount on their on-site registration (or P4,500). The MCLE fees cover lunch, dinner, snacks and cocktails.

We shall all bear solemn witness as the new officers affirm our collective commitment to the convention theme -- to live up to the standards of integrity and competence in the legal profession. The event will also provide delegates memorable photo opportunities with the numerous legal and judiciary luminaries in attendance.

Raffle Prizes and Awards

10 Relevant Plenary Agenda

Compulsory Legal Aid Service The much-debated Comprehensive Legal Aid Service (CLAS) program will be opened for discussion among lawyers. The IBP will get a sense of the general sentiment of the membership on how to effectively discharge the Bars mandate to provide free quality legal service to indigent clients. Proposed amendments to the By-Laws As the IBP continues to grow annually to more than 50,000 members nationwide, its lawyer-members need to tackle the important issue of updating and amending the organizations By-Laws to make it more attuned to the times. Among the proposed topics for discussion are the creation and redistribution of regions and chapters, transfer of chapter membership, election and apportionment of delegates to the House of Delegates, as well as the implementation of projects that make the IBP more relevant both to its members and to society in general.

Delegations will try to outdo each other to win any of the conventions coveted awards, namely: Biggest Delegation, Outstanding Chapter (three categories), Outstanding Chapter President (three categories), Outstanding Legal Aid Chapter, Outstanding Legal Aid Lawyer and Outstanding Regional Presentations. Of course, our winning athletes in the National Olympics will be receiving their hard-earned medals or trophies.

Ms. IBP National

The first ever Ms. IBP National will be chosen during the Convention. Each IBP region would be fielding its Regional Muse candidate. Criteria for determining the winner include traditional Filipiniana costume, formal evening wear, as well as personality. Watch how our lady lawyers charm their way to win the nod of the Board of Judges. It will be a major, major challenge for the judges, for sure.

Oath-Taking and Photo Ops with the Chief Justice

The new IBP chapter officers will be taking their oath before Chief Justice Renato Corona himself.

IBP governors and national officers join the officers of the Zambales chapter in a courtesy call on Olongapo City Mayor James Gordon (wearing cap) during a tour of Subic facilities in preparation for the national convention.

Executive Vice President Roan Libarios takes his oath before Chief Justice Renato Corona.

IBP: MAINTAINING RELEVANCE AMID ERODING PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION
(Excerpts of the speech delivered by Executive Vice President Roan I. Libarios during the Regional Convention of Lawyers, IBP Greater Manila Region, held on February 19, 2011 at Manila Hotel)
It is always a distinct privilege to speak before the officers and members of IBP Greater Manila Region (GMR). Of the nine IBP regions, I consider GMR as the primus inter pares. It is the first among equals. Firstly, GMR stands out as the biggest region in terms of membership. Secondly, GMR has a historic claim of being the proud venue of the organized struggle that brought to life an integrated Philippine Bar. Almost 50 years ago, or in 1962, leaders of 53 fragmented Bar associations convened here in the hallowed grounds of Manila to call for an integrated Philippine Bar and elect a committee to file the corresponding petition with the Supreme Court. This set off a chain of events that culminated on January 9, 1973 with the issuance by the Supreme Court of a resolution ordaining the integration of the Bar. After it was formally organized, the first IBP House of Delegates also convened here in the hallowed grounds of Manila, which elected the first batch of IBP Regional Governors and eventually the first IBP President and EVP who took their oath of office also here in Manila before the Supreme Court en banc. Thus, the IBP was literally born and nurtured here in the proud grounds of Manila, making the GMR the cradle of the integrated Bar. For this years convention, you have adopted the theme IBP: Maintaining its Relevance Amidst Controversies. I find the theme timely, stimulating and provocative. In the last 2009 IBP elections, GMR, composed of Manila and Quezon City chapters, was the center of controversy. The conflict nearly turned the entire IBP, Integrated Bar of the Philippines, into DBP, Disintegrated Bar of the Philippines. Despite the division, the IBP Quezon City and Manila chapters managed to recover their unity and bounced back with a flurry. While deprived of a Governor, the chapters of your region came out united and strong during the IBP-sponsored mass actions such as the Walk for Legal Aid and indignation marches over the Maguindanao Massacre and the imposition of Martial Law in Maguindanao. The strong presence of IBP GMR in the mass actions was a testament to its resilience. And todays unifying convention, which was launched despite the fast approaching chapter elections, further demonstrates GMRs capacity to overcome differences in the interest of unity in the IBP. And for this display of unity, let me pay my tribute to all the officers of Manila and Quezon City IBP and your newly-installed Governor, Manuel Maramba. As a former journalist and writer, it is not my habit to deliver long speeches.

As a matter of practice, I always prefer to KISS Keep It Short and Simple. But today, I will depart from my usual practice to comply with the minimum time for this speech to earn MCLE credit. As such, instead of KISS, I am constrained, upon instruction of Governor Maramba, to KILL Keep It Long and Lively. So in the next hour bear with me as you earn your MCLE credit while I earn my appearance fee gratis et amore, courtesy of Governor Maramba. As instructed by your organizers, I shall tackle today the challenge of maintaining IBPs relevance amid eroding public confidence in the legal profession. For systematic presentation, I have broken down the topic into three parts -- a) the crisis of the legal profession; b) the relevance of the IBP amid the crisis; c) the challenges that lie ahead for IBP and the legal profession. The crisis of the legal profession Our profession evokes conflicting images from the public. As a group of professionals, we are treated with respect and endearment but also with contempt and hostility. Law has been dubbed as a noble profession because it deals directly with the administration and delivery of justice. This is the reason why lawyers evoke a positive image in society. Being called an attorney is often like wearing a badge of honor which elicits respect. Compared with our brothers and sisters in other professions, we are almost treated as primus inter pares, first among equals. But lawyers also suffer from public distrust and, at times, even hostility. In the famous satirical book The Devils Dictionary, a lawyer is defined as a person skilled in circumvention of the law. While we may find humor in the definition, it actually mirrors to a certain extent the harsh reality. This explains the perennial characterization of lawyers as being amoral guns for hire. We are treated like assassins willing to do everything and anything for a fee without any moral and ethical scruples. Throughout history, the legal profession has evoked this mixed reaction of respect and contempt. In Shakespeares Henry VI, the great playwright paid tribute to lawyers as sentinels of democracy by suggesting that the first thing any potential tyrant must do to suppress freedom is to kill all the lawyers. Thus, the famous Shakespeare quote THE FIRST THING

In the famous satirical book The Devils Dictionary, a lawyer is defined as a person skilled in circumvention of the law. While we may find humor in the definition, it actually mirrors to a certain extent the harsh reality.
WE DO IS TO KILL ALL THE LAWYERS is actually a compliment to the legal profession, reflecting the highsense of respect on the role of lawyers as nemesis of tyrants and dictators. But over the years, the Shakespearean quote of lets kill all lawyers has acquired a completely negative meaning. From being a compliment, the Shakespearean quote lets kill all lawyers has become a rallying cry to show a murderous contempt of lawyers and the legal profession. There was a time in the 18th century when the legal profession also earned respect as a threat and nemesis to the monarchy and tyrannical rule. Thus, lawyers were banned and outlawed in Prussia and France for a time during that period. Today, we also hear calls for the abolition of the legal profession but for a different reason for being threat and nemesis, not to tyranny, but to the public itself. In our country as in other parts of the world, lawyers are being blamed for inciting troubles and conflicts and for burying society in an avalanche of lawsuits, all for personal financial gain. The contempt of lawyers as fomenters of conflict is underscored by the familiar joke about a small town with only one lawyer who was poor, miserable and starving. But a second lawyer-compaero, came and settled there, and soon enough, both of them prospered. In the Philippines, public trust and respect on lawyers has similarly declined, resulting in a crisis of confidence in the legal profession. This was underscored in a paper submitted to the Supreme Court by the Philippine Association of Law Schools, which debunked the erroneous perception of an oversupply of lawyers in the Philippines. It cited studies showing a lawyer-to-population ratio in the US of one lawyer for every 320 persons and in the Philippines of one lawyer for every

1,770 persons. Thus, there is actually a shortage, not an oversupply of lawyers in the Philippines. But as pointed out in the study, the contempt for lawyers in the Philippines has created the false impression of oversupply of attorneys and society being better off with less of them. IBPs relevant role in addressing the crisis No other organization or institution is better equipped to respond to the crisis of public confidence in the legal profession than the Integrated Bar of the Philippines. And four reasons stand out to justify this submission: One, the IBP is imbued by law with a clear mandate to raise the standard of the legal profession, improve the administration of justice, and enable the Bar to discharge its public responsibility more effectively. Two, membership in the IBP is compulsory among lawyers. Membership and payment of IBP dues are prerequisites to the practice of law and retention in the Roll of Attorneys. Three, the IBP exercises disciplinary authority over its members to ensure adherence to the required standard of professional conduct. Four, as provided by law, the IBP enjoys full corporate status, existence and powers. As such, it may launch activities to finance its own programs and advocacies.

No other organization or institution is better equipped to respond to the crisis of public confidence in the legal profession than the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.

Thus, the IBP bears all the essential attributes of a potent force in the legal profession and the administration of justice. For the members and leaders of the IBP, the challenge of relevancy calls for restoring and enhancing public confidence in the legal profession. And rightly so. Our predecessors fought long and hard to bring to life a unified Philippine bar to enhance the standards of the legal profession, the administration of justice, and public responsibility.

The campaign for an integrated Philippine Bar was long and protracted. It started way back in 1928 and bore fruit almost five decades later, or on September 17, 1971, with the enactment of Republic Act 6397 which provides for the INTEGRATION OF THE PHILIPPINE BAR. To better appreciate the labor and efforts paid by our predecessors, allow me to present the highlights of the historic campaign for the integration of the Philippine Bar as culled from relevant Supreme Court decisions: a) In 1928, or eight decades ago, the integration of the Philippine Bar was first advocated by Dean George Malcolm of the University of the Philippines College of Law and Senators Claro M. Recto and Jose Abad Santos. b) In 1934, the first bill for the integration of the Philippine Bar was filed in Congress but did not prosper. c) In 1947, or after the war, representatives of 41 local and fragmented Bar associations all over the country convened and agreed to petition the Supreme Court to integrate the Philippine Bar. d) On the following year, January 27, 1948, the petition for integration of the bar was formally filed with the Supreme Court but was never resolved. e) On March 2, 1950, or two years later, Senator Francisco Sumulong sponsored Senate Bill No. 83 which called for the creation of a corporation to be known as Philippine Integrated Bar. The proposed measure did not prosper. f) On June 23, 1962, or eight years later, representatives of 53 bar associations all over the country staged a national convention and agreed to file a petition with the Supreme Court for the integration of the Bar. To carry out the agreement, the convention created a five-man committee headed by Atty. Jose W. Diokno to file the corresponding petition with the Supreme Court. g) On July 11, 1962, or two weeks later, the formal petition for integration of the bar was filed before the Supreme Court and docketed as Administrative Case No. 526. h) On Aug 16, 1962, the Supreme Court conducted a hearing to receive arguments for and against the petition for integration. Subsequently, the petitioner and oppositors filed their respective memoranda. But the

petition remained pending for a long time. i) Meanwhile, in 1970, or eight years later, Atty. Jose W. Diokno, now a Senator, authored Senate Bill No. 79 seeking to empower the Supreme Court to integrate the Philippine Bar. j) On October 5, 1970 in the cited pending petition, the Supreme Court, through Chief Justice Roberto Concepcion, issued a Resolution creating a Commission on Bar Integration to study and report on the advisability of the integration of the Philippine Bar. k) Subsequently, the Commission on Bar Integration, headed by Justice Fred Ruiz Castro, conducted a nationwide referendum among lawyers on the proposed integration of the Philippine Bar. A total of 15,090

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As members of the legal profession, we need to stress on the things that unite rather than divide us. While we belong to different alumni associations, fraternities and sororities, let us not forget that we also belong to the bigger brotherhood of lawyers.

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overwhelming sentiment of the Philippine Bar and Bench, for the integration of the Bar. On January 9, 1973, the Supreme Court ordered in a Resolution the integration of the Philippine Bar and promulgated the corresponding rules for Bar integration effective January 16, 1973. On February 17, 1973, the first IBP chapter elections were held simultaneously all over the country. On March 17, 1973, or a month later, the first IBP House of Delegates convened in Manila, composed of 104 delegates and 78 IBP Chapters, and elected the first nine IBP Regional Governors. The Governorselect then voted retired Supreme Court Justice JBL Reyes as the first IBP President and IBP Governor Liliano B. Neri of Western Mindanao as the first Executive Vice-President. On March 25, 1973, or a week later, the newly-elected IBP Regional Governors, Executive Vice-President and President took their oath before the Supreme Court En Banc, signaling the formal operations of the National IBP. On May 4, 1973, or over a month later, President Marcos issued P.D. No. 1811 which constituted the IBP as a body corporate and vested with all the powers of a private corporation. And the rest is history.

lawyers responded to the survey. Of the number, 96.44 percent voted for Bar integration, 2.15 percent voted against and 1.04 percent abstained. In addition, a plebiscite was conducted with 13, 802 lawyers casting their ballots, 93.2 percent of which voted for integration, 4.8 percent voted against, and 2 percent abstained. l) On September 17, 1971, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines was finally created by virtue of Republic Act No. 6397 or an Act providing for the Integration of the Philippine Bar and Appropriating Funds Therefor. m) On December 1, 1972, the Commission on Bar Integration submitted its final report to the Supreme Court with earnest recommendation, citing the

Clearly enough, the IBP was a product of a long and sustained campaign to unify the bar. Our predecessors fought long and hard to bring to life the Integrated Bar of the Philippines. As outlined in the Supreme Court Resolution on Bar Integration, the unification of the Bar under the IBP was sought to carry out the following 13 specific mandates and objectives: a) Render more effective assistance in maintaining the Rule of law; b) Protect lawyers and litigants from the abuses of tyrannical judges; c) Shield the judiciary, which traditionally cannot defend itself except within its own forum, from the assaults that politics and selfinterest may level at it, and assist it to maintain its integrity, impartiality and independence; d) Prevent the unauthorized practice of law, and break up any monopoly of local practice maintained through influence or position; e) Have an effective voice in the selection of judges;

f) Establish welfare funds for families of disabled and deceased lawyers; g) Provide placement services, establish legal aid offices throughout the country, and set up lawyer reference services so that the poor may not lack competent legal service; h) Distribute educational and informational materials that are difficult to obtain in many provinces; i) Devise and maintain a program of continuing legal education for practicing attorneys in order to raise the standards of the profession throughout the country; j) Enforce rigid ethical standards and promulgate minimum fee schedules; k) Create law centers and establish law libraries for legal research; l) Conduct campaigns to educate the public on their legal rights and obligations on the importance of preventive legal advice and on the functions of the Filipino lawyer; and m) Promote greater involvement of the lawyer population in the solution of the problems that affect the nation. In sum, our organization is imbued by history and law with the necessary attributes to maintain its relevance and make a difference in the legal profession and society. The Challenge of the IBP Today, more than ever, there is a need for the IBP to respond to the challenge of maintaining its relevance amid eroding public confidence in the legal profession. With the recent controversy that wracked our organization, the first order of the day is to heal the divisions and strive for unity in the bar. As members of the legal profession, we need to stress on the things that unite rather than divide us. While we belong to different alumni associations, fraternities and sororities, let us not forget that we also belong to the bigger brotherhood of lawyers. To borrow from a famous quote, our loyalty to our alumni associations and fraternal orders ends when the interest of the IBP brotherhood begins. In case of conflict, the interest of our law school or fraternity must yield to the higher interest of the IBP. This we owe to our predecessors who toiled for the

unification of the Bar to serve not the interest of any school or organization but the entire community of lawyers in the Philippines. The great Justice Benjamin Cardozo once said that membership in the bar is a privilege burdened with conditions. Therefore, the urgent task before us is to build on the core values upon which the IBP was established. And the core values can be reduced into three defining principles -- competence, integrity and public responsibility in the Bar. Competence in the Bar The IBP was founded on the platform of improving the standards of the legal profession. Thus, the first duty of a lawyer is to be competent in the knowledge and application of the law. Under the 1990 UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, professional associations of lawyers are called upon to uphold professional standards through continuing proper education and training. And rightly so. Our adversarial system of justice is anchored on the presumption that the lawyers representing the protagonists the plaintiff and defendant -- are both competent. Otherwise, if one of the litigants is represented by an incompetent counsel, then the entire adversarial system collapses, resulting in a miscarriage of justice. Thus, an incompetent Bar makes bad judicial decisions, harms the administration of justice, and erodes public confidence in the legal profession. Integrity in the Bar Secondly, the IBP is also founded on the platform of promoting the administration of justice. It is equally important to build on the core principle of integrity in the Bar. A lawyer is an officer of the court and performs a vital public function in the administration of justice. As such, an upright Bar strengthens the administration of justice and promotes public confidence in its integrity while a corrupt Bar weakens the system and erodes public confidence. As the great Gandhi, a member of the bar, once said: Let us be the change that we want to see in the world. And we are addressing this quote from Gandhi to the believers of hope among us, and not to the cynics of our profession.

Our adversarial system of justice is anchored on the presumption that the lawyers representing the protagonists the plaintiff and defendant -- are both competent. Otherwise, if one of the litigants is represented by an incompetent counsel, then the entire adversarial system collapses, resulting in a miscarriage of justice.
Public responsibility in the bar Lastly, the IBP was also established on the platform of public responsibility. In fact, one of the purposes for its existence is precisely to enable the Bar to discharge its public responsibility more effectively. To maintain its relevance, the IBP is called upon to promote respect for the Rule of Law and broaden access to justice by providing legal aid services. The last thing our country needs is a Bar without a sense of social duty. In closing, let me remind you that the GMR is the primus inter pares, the first among equals of the nine IBP Regions. You have the biggest membership with a proud historic claim of being the cradle of the IBP. But where much is given, much is also expected. Being the primus inter pares, the first among equals, GMR also bears the burden of taking the lead role in responding to the challenge of maintaining relevance amid the crisis of public confidence in our profession. It is my fervent hope that GMR, being the cradle of the IBP, can rise and prove itself equal to the challenge of leading the campaign for greater relevance of the IBP. Maraming salamat at mabuhay ang IBP Greater Manila Region! References
Memorandum on the Integrated Bar, Division of Research and Law Reform, UP Law Center, Philippine Law Journal, vol. 46, 1971, pp. 639655. Supreme Court Resolution, In the Matter of the Integration of the Bar of the Philippines promulgated on January 9, 1973. Integrated Bar of the Philippines Website, http://ibp.ph/history.html

Supreme Court upholds election of 3 IBP Governors

n a 29-page decision in A.M. No. 09-5-2-SC, relating to the IBP election controversies in 2009, the Supreme Court upheld the election of Attys. Manuel M. Maramba, Erwin M. Fortunato and Nasser A. Marohomsalic as IBP Governors for Greater Manila, Western Visayas and Western Mindanao, respectively.
(2000-2002), Commissioner of the Commission on Bar Discipline (2007-2010), and Treasurer, in a concurrent capacity, of the Greater Manila Region and of the Manila III Chapter (2007-2009). Governor Maramba is Board Director of the Philippine Trial Lawyers Association (PTLA), where he also served as Treasurer from 2004 to 2009. He was also Governor of the Vanguard of the Philippine Constitution (2004-2011). He was elected President of Kiwanis International, Manila-Espaa Chapter in 1996 and is a member of the UP Law Alumni Association, the UP Alumni Association, Club Filipino and the Manila Boat Club. His law office, M. M. Maramba & Associates Law Firm, is retained counsel and consultant to several companies.

The three new Governors joined Attys. Milagros N. Fernan-Cayosa (Northern Luzon), Ferdinand Y. Miclat (Central Luzon), Amador Z. Tolentino (Southern Luzon), Jose V. Cabrera (Bicolandia), Roland B. Inting (Eastern Visayas) and Roan I. Libarios (Eastern Mindanao) in the nine-member national Board of Governors. In the same Decision, the SC also directed the holding of a special election for Executive Vice President (EVP), who will serve as President from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2013. In the special election held last December 27, 2010, Eastern Mindanao Governor Roan I. Libarios was unanimously elected EVP and incoming President. On February 8, 2011, the Supreme Court re-affirmed with finality the resolution by denying all intervening motions for reconsideration. The denial wrote finis to the IBP election controversy which began in 2009. IBP Officer-in-Charge Retired Justice Santiago M. Kapunan will hold his post until June 30, 2011.

Gov. Nasser A. Marohomsalic

Human Rights Advocate and Muslim Scholar
Atty. Marohomsalic is the IBP Governor for Western Mindanao for 2009-2011. He once served in the government as Commissioner of Human Rights. A human rights activist and diplomat, Governor Marohomsalic finished his law degree in 1981 at the University of the Philippines (UP) and passed the Bar examinations given the same year. He took two years of Liberal Arts education at the Mindanao State University in Marawi City and subsequently earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1977 at Far Eastern University. He joined the protest movement against martial law and co-founded the United Muslim Democrats of the Philippines, where he served as its Founding National Spokesman. In 1987, the UMDP merged with the National Union of Christian Democrats under a Memorandum of Merger that he drafted. He served the new Party as Acting Chief Legal Counsel and Deputy Legal Counsel. The Party is the precursor of the Lakas Christian-Muslim Democratic Party. After the fall of the Marcos dictatorship in 1986, Governor Marohomsalic joined the government service. At the Mindanao State University, he served as Presidential Assistant (1986-1987) and as Consultant (1989-1990 and 1993). He also served as Commissionerat-large of the 1988 Regional Consultative Commission

Gov. Manuel M. Maramba

Elder Statesman and Civic Leader
Atty. Maramba is the IBP Governor for the Greater Manila Region for 2009-2011. He was born in Manila to parents Agustin Maramba of Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan and Isabel Manzano of Candon City, Ilocos Sur and is the grand nephew of the Grand Old Man of Pangasinan, the late Daniel B. Maramba, former governor of Pangasinan and Senator of the first Congress under the Philippine Commonwealth. A recipient of numerous awards in the field of law and for his involvement in socio-civic and humanitarian causes, Atty. Maramba was a top student in elementary and high school in his hometown of now Candon City before he entered the University of the Philippines as a state scholar. At the UP, Governor Maramba obtained his Bachelor of Arts (major in Political Science) and Bachelor of Laws degrees, where he was a college scholar in both programs. He was a member of the Editorial Board of the UP Law Journal and College Editor in 1962 of the university annual, The Philippinensian. Governor Maramba previously served the IBP in various capacities as President of the Manila III chapter 10

for Muslim Mindanao, a constitutional body which assisted Congress in the framing of the 1989 Organic Act of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao; Special Assistant to Secretary of Foreign Affairs Raul S. Manglapus (1990-1992); Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights (1994-2001); and Consultant to the Bureau of Immigration. After his stint as Human Rights Commissioner, Governor Marohomsalic immersed himself in NGO work, co-founding the Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy (which was spun off into the Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy). He also served the Muslim Legal Assistance Foundation, the Committee for the Defense of Liberty, Movement of Concerned Citizens for Civil Liberties, the Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE) and the International Visitor ProgramPhilippines. He also served in the IBP as Presidential Assistant on Human Rights and Muslim Concerns and Member of the Editorial Board of the IBP Journal. A collection of his speeches, Towards Peace, Autonomy and Human Rights, was published by the Institute of Foreign Service in 1999 in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. He wrote a book the first of its kind on the history of the Bangsa Moro in the Philippines -entitled The Aristocrats of the Malay Race (2001). Governor Marohomsalics other writings are published in the IBP Journal, the Journal of the Commission on Human Rights and the publications of the UP Institute of Human Rights, the UP National College of Public Administration and Government, the Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy and in various national newspapers. Some of his political writings when he was a student saw print in the Philippine Collegian, the official UP student publication, and the Philippine Law Register, the official student publication of the UP College of Law. Governor Marohomsalic has served as a resource speaker in national and international fora on human

rights and peace. He is married to Bae Hadja Sittie Omensalam Benito Adap. They have six children.

Gov. Erwin M. Fortunato

Youngest IBP Governor
Atty. Fortunato is the IBP Governor for Western Visayas for 2009-2011. Born on December 26, 1972 in Odiongan, Romblon, Governor Fortunato earned his Bachelor of Laws degree from Manuel L. Quezon University as a working student. Without going through a formal review class, he took the Bar Examination in 1999 and became a member of the Philippine Bar in 2000. From the time of his admission to the Bar, Governor Fortunato has been a very active member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines. He was elected to various positions in the Romblon Chapter -- as Secretary in 2001-2003 and 2005-2007 and as President for the 2003-2005 and 20072009 terms. He became Romblons first IBP Governor for the Western Visayas Region for the 2009-2011 term. Governor Fortunato has been an active Solo Legal Practitioner since 2000. He was an Instructor at the Romblon State Universitys Institute of Business and Accountancy, teaching various law subjects from 2006 to 2009. He now serves as University Legal Counsel. He is also the legal counsel of Saint Vincent Ferrer Parish MultiPurpose Cooperative, the largest cooperative in Romblon. Governor Fortunato also served as Chairman of the Peoples Law Enforcement Board (PLEB) of the Municipality of Ferrol, Province of Romblon, from 2003 up to 2008. He is a member of PINOY LAWYERS and served as the legal counsel of President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III in the Province of Romblon during the 2010 National and Local Elections.

The IBP Board of Governors and National Officers for 2009-2011 pose with Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona during the oath-taking ceremony for EVP Roan Libarios and the three new IBP governors at the Supreme Court (left to right): National Secretary Tomas Prado, Assistant National Treasurer Maria Teresita Sison-Go, National Director for Legal Aid Rosario Setias-Reyes, General Counsel Rodolfo Urbiztondo, Western Visayas Governor Erwin Fortunato, Western Mindanao Governor Nasser Marohomsalic, Greater Manila Governor Manuel Maramba, Northern Luzon Governor Ma. Milagros Fernan-Cayosa, Eastern Mindanao Governor and EVP Libarios, Chief Justice Corona, IBP OIC Santiago Kapunan, Eastern Visayas Governor Roland Inting, Southern Luzon Governor Amador Tolentino Jr., Bicolandia Governor Jose Cabrera, Central Luzon Governor Ferdinand Miclat, Executive Director Jaime Vibar, National Director for Bar Discipline Alicia Risos-Vidal, and Public Relations Officer Oliver San Antonio.

11 11

An interview with EVP & incoming President Roan Ibay libarios

The executive office of IBP President-elect Atty. Roan I. Libarios is a bare one desk affair, with piles of legal periodicals and correspondence regularly streaming in from all over. Nothing in the eight meter square or so office can be said to be unusual or remarkable, except perhaps for the small ceramic figure of Mahatma Gandhi, father of Indian independence and icon of the non-violence movement, on a shelf behind his desk. I bought it during a trip to India, he says. This July, the former Congressman and ViceGovernor from Agusan del Norte who as a militant campus journalist during martial law has had a gun pointed to his head -- begins his two-year term as the 21st president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines. His has been one colorful career, with a personal philosophy shaped and reshaped by years of engagement with people from all across the social spectrum students, workers, farmers, teachers, nuns, military commanders, intelligence agents, rebels, lawyers, legislators, local government officials, national leaders. Before his stint with the IBP, he served as a member of the GRP Peace Panel and the House Prosecution Panel during the impeachment trial of former President Estrada. After his stint in Congress, he reestablished his law firm, Libra Law. He is the lead convenor of LENTE (Legal Network for Truthful Elections) and country councilor of LAWASIA. Before serving as IBP Governor for Eastern Mindanao, he was the editor-inchief of the IBP Law Journal. Recently he also served as member of the IIRC (Incident Investigation Review Committee) on the Hong Kong tourist bus hostage tragedy. He has a listening ear for everyone, helping him win friends and recruit advocates to his many causes. The word enemy is not in his vocabulary and he relies on patience and understanding to bring people from hostility to harmony. In a shared interview with the Supreme Court Benchmark, Atty. Libarios talks about his years as a
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student and early frustration with the legal profession, when he signed a manifesto calling for the abolition of the UP College of Law because it had lost its relevance and instead had become the breeding ground of tyrants. He credits the late Sen. Jose W. Diokno (Ka Pepe) for inspiring him to keep the faith and survive law school. True to the ideals of Gandhi, he wants to heal the divisions in the IBP and make it more relevant to the entire Bar, the Bench and the general public. (JESD)
Q. Where did you finish your elementary, secondary and tertiary education? RIL: I am a product of the public school system. I finished my elementary schooling at West Butuan Elementary School, high school education at Agusan National High School, and college education at the University of the Philippines with courses in Political Science and Law. Q. What school organizations did you belong to? RIL: In my high school and college years, I was involved in the campus publications. When I entered UP, it was the height of political unrest. As a result, I became involved with campus and political organizations that espoused student militancy and political change. Q. How did your stint as Editor-in-Chief of the Philippine Collegian (UP student publication) help develop you as a journalist/writer and as a lawyer? What were the burning issues during your term as Editor-in-Chief? RIL: During my time, the Collegian was a sentinel of student militancy and critical scholarship inside and outside UP campus. And its pages reflected the burning issues of the day academic freedom, democratic rights, national liberation. My stint in the Collegian made me a better writer and lawyer. I earned priceless non-academic units in critical thinking. That early, I learned in actual practice the rudiments of dissecting, synthesizing and presenting issues and ideas with clarity and vigor. Looking back, the Collegian was a firstclass academy for honing the craft of advocacy and the moral compass of social responsibility.

I hope that my background and experience would enable me to create an impact and make a difference in the IBP.
Q. What inspired you to take up law? Is there a particular instance that influenced your decision to become a lawyer? RIL: My father wanted me to be the first lawyer in the family. And I shared his dream because I idolized lawyers as dispensers of justice and community leaders. But this changed when I was in UP. Committed writers replaced lawyers as my role models. Like most student militants drawn into the protest movement, I found it hard to reconcile the call of the times for dismantling the ruling establishment with the personal ambition of becoming a lawyer (and upholding the status quo). I recall that I even signed a student manifesto which called for the abolition of the UP College of Law because it had lost its relevance and instead had become the breeding ground of tyrants. But one lawyer stood out and showed the way - Ka Pepe Diokno. He fought to dismantle the ruling regime without surrendering his passion for the practice of law. By his own example, he demonstrated that a lawyer, a sentinel of the status quo, can be relevant even in times of upheaval of the political order. Not only was he a revered icon in the protest movement but also in court battles, deftly using the law against the status quo to seek redress and accountability. Looking back, it was Ka Pepe Diokno who inspired me and perhaps other student militants of my generation -- to keep the faith and survive Malcolm Hall [the UP College of Law building]. Q. What motivated you to put up LIBRA Law? What is your law firms specialization and why did you choose that field? RIL: Before I joined Congress, I was an active practitioner in my home province. I also became a member of FLAG (Free Legal Assistance Group) and other public interest law groups. After my brief stint in Congress (as Congressman, representing Agusan del Norte province), I decided to branch out in my practice of law and put up a law firm in the countrys capital region to rebuild my legal career. The bulk of our practice is litigation and appellate work. We also focus on project development, particularly in structuring BOT schemes or public private partnership (PPP). My practice areas are dictated by competence, client base, and potential returns. Q. How did you become involved with LAWASIA and LENTE (Legal Network for Truthful Elections)? What are your main advocacies in the field of law/alternative law? RIL: My involvement in the IBP brought me to LENTE and LAWASIA. LENTEs advocacy is clean, honest and credible elections. LAWASIA is concerned with strengthening the administration of justice and the legal profession across Asia and the Pacific. In the IBP, we share their advocacies. Q. What is the role of a lawyer in society today? How can you characterize the present state of the legal profession? RIL: The role of lawyers is defined by its assigned purpose -to assist in the administration of justice. The Bar shapes the Bench and vice versa. A corrupt and inept Bar leads to bad judicial decisions and harms the administration of justice. A good Bar strengthens the Bench and the administration of justice. The legal profession needs to keep pace with the fast advancing information and cyberspace era. Business is the engine of growth and relies on lawyers to structure their organizations, commercial transactions, financial arrangements, and settlement of disputes. A well-crafted and promptly delivered commercial instrument facilitates economic activity and growth.

Business is the engine of growth and relies on lawyers to structure their organizations, commercial transactions, financial arrangements, and settlement of disputes. A wellcrafted and promptly delivered commercial instrument facilitates economic activity and growth.
Thus, the challenge is building interdisciplinary competence and speed in the delivery of legal services. Lawyers engaged in traditional legal assistance should also prioritize skills development in alternative dispute processes over regular trial, written over spoken advocacy. Overall, lawyers should strive to be role models of efficiency, integrity and competence to inspire public confidence in the legal profession. Q. How has your legal, legislative, and executive career affected your position as officer in the IBP? How will it influence your term as incoming IBP President? RIL: I am the sum of all my experiences. I would like to think that my legal, legislative and executive background all contributed to my performance in the IBP, especially in addressing the divisions that once rocked the organization. In the special election, my fellow governors have accorded me the mandate to lead the IBP. And I wish to thank them for the unanimous vote of confidence as well as the Supreme Court for resolving the crisis in the IBP. As incoming IBP President, I consider the mandate as a challenge to further heal the divisions in the organization and make it more relevant to the entire Bar, the Bench and the general public. I hope that my background and experience would enable me to create an impact and make a difference in the IBP.

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REGIONAL CONSULTATION HIGHLIGHTS Feeling the pulse of the Bar

IBP governors and national officers meet with colleagues from Northern Luzon Region in Baguio City.

Make the 13th National Convention of Lawyers the best, the biggest and most relevant IBP convention ever. This was the rallying call of the IBP leadership during a recent series of consultations with regional chapters.

Southern luzon Region

NORTHERN LUZON REGION

The consultation with the officers of Northern Luzon Region was held on March 12, 2011 at Hotel Supreme in Baguio City. Governor Milagros Fernan-Cayosa and EVP Roan Libarios exhorted their colleagues to go all out in encouraging members to attend the National Convention, considering the proximity of the region to Subic. EVP Libarios said that to encourage attendance, the Board has come up with a competition that will award chapters and regions who have the biggest turnout in terms of absolute numbers as well as in proportion to the number of members of each chapter and region. Meanwhile, Atty. Egon Cayosa, former President of Cagayan Chapter, expressed disappointment at convention documentation, observing that in every convention, the same resolutions are brought up. Also during the discussion, Atty. Daniel Manggalay, incoming president of the Baguio Chapter, informed the Board that the splitting of the Baguio-Benguet Chapter had been approved in the 2009 national convention in Bacolod and was supported by the entire Northern Luzon Region. The splitting, however, has yet to be implemented. Governor Tolentino said that the rule is that for a resolution to be binding, it has to be approved by the Board of Governors. EVP Libarios said that for the 13th National Convention Plenary, the matter of amendment of the By-Laws, including the splitting and merger of chapters, will be given due attention. President Mariano Nalupta of Northern Luzon said he hopes that that the Board of Governors will adopt guidelines or standards when to merge or split chapters. Governor Cayosa said that proposals to improve IBP elections will also be included in the convention discussions.

Governor Ador Tolentino of Southern Luzon Region presided over the regional meeting held on February 12, 2011 at the Alabang Country Club. In the meeting, the members agreed to commit to a minimum participation of 300 members in the Subic convention. A total of 50 lawyers have also promised to mount an exciting number in the Regional Presentation. Southern Luzon region will also play an active part in the plenary deliberations on the amendment of the IBP By-laws. Present during the meeting were IBP chapter members from Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Marinduque, Pasay-Paranaque-Las Pinas-Muntinlupa (PPLM) and Rizal.

Gov. Tolentino presides over the meeting of Southern Luzon Region at Alabang Country Club.

Western Mindanao Region

The Garden Orchid Hotel was the venue of the consultation conducted by the IBP Board of Governors in Zamboanga City on January 29, 2011. After welcoming everyone present, EVP Roan Libarios called the attention of the body to the Supreme Court Resolution of December 14, 2010 which resolved A.M.

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No. 09-5-2-SC entitled In the Matter of the Brewing Controversies in the Election in the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and upheld the election of Gov. Manuel M. Maramba as governor for Greater Manila, Gov. Nasser A. Marohomsalic as governor for Western Mindanao and Gov. Erwin M. Fortunato as governor for Western Visayas. Aside from the IBP governors and national officers, present in the consultation were: Atty. Richard C. Petisme, Sultan Kudarat Chapter Atty. Romegildo B. Alocelja, Jr., North Cotabato Chapter Atty. Sukarno A. Abas, Cotabato Chapter Atty. Analyn F. Ramas-Costanilla, Zamboanga del Sur Chapter Atty. Claver A. Pajaren, Zamboang del Norte Chapter Atty. Richard B. Rambuyong, Zamboanga Sibugay Chapter Atty. Alex L. Macalawi, Lanao del Sur Chapter Atty. Florendo B. Opay, Lanao del Norte Chapter Atty. Florencio M. Liong, Jr., Zambasulta Chapter EVP Libarios said that since the election controversy had been resolved, it was time for IBP to move on. The national convention activities were then presented, including the Regional Presentations and the various awards to be given during the convention, such as Most Outstanding Chapter and Chapter President, Best Legal Aid Program and Outstanding Legal Aid Lawyer. It was announced that the convention registration fee for Mindanaoan lawyers has been reduced by P1,000 to encourage participation. Those present were likewise informed of the plan to charter buses to bring delegates from the IBP National Office in Ortigas to Subic free of charge. In the course of the meeting, Atty. Claver Pajaren sought clarification on the correct name of the Cotabato Chapter. He cited one court resolution referring to the chapter as the Cotabato City & Maguindanao Chapter. It was clarified that the correct name is Cotabato Chapter, as provided in Rule 139-A, which had not been changed because although there is a Maguindanao Province, there is no lawyer who is based in Maguindanao Province. In regard to the suggestion to publish the names of all IBP members in the IBP Journal, the national leaders deemed the suggestion impractical due to printing cost. A question was raised on election related matters, particularly whether Clerks of Courts may run for any IBP office. The By-Laws provision relating to elections, particularly Section 4, Article I was cited, stating that IBP is strictly non-political, and that no lawyer holding an elective, judicial, quasi-judicial, or prosecutory office in the Government or any political subdivision or instrumentality thereof shall be eligible for election or appointment to any position in the Integrated Bar. The Board of Governors approved and adopted RESOLUTION NO. XIX-2011-31 reiterating the prohibition for election or appointment to any position in the IBP lawyers holding elective, judicial, quasi-judicial, or prosecutory positions in the Government or any political subdivision or instrumentality thereof and that

Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat hosted a lunch meeting for the IBP governors during the Western Mindanao consultation.
therefore, a Clerk of Court who is holding a judicial office could not run or assume office in the IBP. Atty. Opay asked if chapters are allowed to subsidize the accommodation expense of its members in their attendance to the convention. Governor Tolentino said that chapters usually have special funds, apart from the general fund which may be used for the purpose suggested by Atty. Opay. The Board of Governors then approved and adopted RESOLUTION NO. XIX-2011-32 authorizing the IBP Chapters to utilize their special funds (i.e. funds sourced from special activities and projects) for the accommodation expenses of their members in connection with their attendance in the 13th National Convention of Lawyers There was a long discussion on the legal aid subsidy and the problems of chapters which have not been receiving their subsidies for several years. Atty. Opay made a presentation on the energy problem in Mindanao. He said that Mindanao is suffering unnecessarily from high power cost that is even higher than power rates in Metro Manila. He referred to a study that pointed to price manipulation as the reason behind the high cost of power and that a case has been filed on the subject. Atty. Opay said that the energy problem in Mindanao deserves to be taken up by the IBP through intervention in the pending case and the review of the EPIRA Law because of its ineffectiveness in bringing down power cost. Atty. Opay suggested that a session be devoted to the subject during the national convention. The Board adopted RESOLUTION NO. XIX-2011-33 approving the proposal of Atty. Florendo B. Opay to intervene in the ERC Case In the Matter of the Application for Approval of ASPA Between NGCP and Therma Marines, Inc. With Provisional Authority as Applicants in ERC Case Nos. 2010-11 and Application for Approval of ASPA Between NGCP and Therma Marines, Inc. With Prayer For Provisional Authority, NGCP and Therma Marines as Applicants ERC 2010-014.

Western Mindanao regional consultation, Zamboanga City.

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Western Visayas regional consultation, Iloilo City.

The Board likewise approved and adopted RESOLUTION NO. XIX-2011-34 requesting President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III to appoint as members of the peace panel (on the Mindanao Peace Negotiations) only those persons who hail from Mindanao. The chapter presidents said they were wary of their status as officers during the date of the convention, considering that there would be a turnover of office on April 1, 2011. The solution offered was for the National IBP to issue a Memorandum to all Chapter Presidents declaring that for purposes of the 13th National Convention of Lawyers, the incumbent chapter Presidents will have priority in leading the chapter insofar as participation to the Convention is concerned. In regard to the sharing of dues, it was clarified that the 60-40 sharing is still the rule. Governor Cayosa announced the adoption of a Chapter Promotional Package as follows: 10 participants entitles a chapter to send 1 member free of registration charge. The package will include a full page advertisement in the Souvenir Program for the price of P50,000.00. Likewise, a discounted Registration Fee of P4,500.00 will be accepted for the period February 16 up to March 15, 2011. Atty. Aldon inquired what had happened to the resolutions of the House of Delegates approved in Palawan. The governors said a report will be rendered on the matter during the 13th National Convention. Governor Tolentino gave a birds eye-view of the activities during the Presentation and Awards Night on April 8, which is also concert night. The awards categories presented were: Most Outstanding Chapter, Most Outstanding Chapter President, Best Presentation and Ms. IBP National. The body was informed that the IBP will be providing free transportation from the IBP National Office in Ortigas to Subic. Likewise mentioned was the proposal to extend the MCLE credits to 36 units, for an additional cost.

Western Visayas Region

Days Hotel was the venue of the consultation conducted by the IBP Board of Governors in Iloilo City on February 4, 2011. Aside from the Board of Governors and national officers, the following lawyers attended the consultation: Atty. Romeo Carlos Ting, Jr., Negros Occidental Chapter Atty. Anthony S. Ferolino, Negros Oriental Chapter Atty. Ivan G. Nemenzo, Negros Occidental Chapter Atty. Cornelio P. Aldon, Antique Chapter Atty. Ricardo Ibarreta, Jr., Aklan Chapter Atty. John Edward Gando, Guimaras Chapter Atty. Benjamin B. Distura, Capiz Chapter Atty. Marven B. Daquilanea, Iloilo Chapter Atty. Petroni F. Fradejas, Romblon Chapter Atty. Daquilanea of Iloilo expressed his disappointment over the one and a half year vacancy in the leadership of the region, adding that the same must not be allowed to happen again. The IBP leadership responded by saying that the chapters must come to a consensus with respect to the election proceedings and try to be more united, guided by the ruling enunciated in the December 14, 2010 Resolution of the Supreme Court. Atty. Daquilanea also sought the advice of the Board on how attendance to the 13th National Convention can be boosted. Governor Miclat said that participation in the sports competitions can be a way to increase attendance. He suggested that the chapter that excels in a particular sport be the representative of the region in said sport. Governor Fortunato made a rundown of the sports events that will be featured in the convention: basketball, golf, table tennis, billiards, bowling, shooting, 5K and 3K fun run. There will also be a competition among the Regional Muses, the winner of which will be declared Ms. IBP National.

Eastern Visayas Region

The Marcelo B. Fernan Hall, Cebu IBP Building, Capitol Compound, was the venue of the IBP consultation with the Eastern Visayas Chapter last March 5, 2011. Both outgoing and incoming presidents were present in the consultation, which covered topics that were discussed in the Zamboanga and Iloilo City consultations.

P self a former IB ur Defensor, him th Ar s r or no rn er ve ov go G Iloilo with IBP a light moment governor, enjoys ultation. ns co al on gi the re during a break in

Eastern Visayas regional con sultation held on March 5, 2011 at Marcelo B. Fernan Hall, Cebu IBP Building.
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IBP MEETS WITH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC LAW FIRMS

The IBP Committee on Ways & Means (chaired by EVP Roan Libarios) and the Finance Committee (chaired by Gov. Ma. Milagros Fernan-Cayosa) recently met with private and public law firms to discuss preparations for the 13th NCL.The meetings were held at Dusit Thani Hotel and Manila Hotel. Among those who attended the meetings with IBP governors and national officers were Deputy Court Administrator Raul Villanueva, Solicitor General and former IBP President Jose Anselmo Cadiz, former IBP President Feliciano Shane Bautista, lawyers Ricardo Ongkiko of Sycip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan, Grace Pastorfide of Quasha Ancheta Pena & Nolasco, Roberto Dio of Castillo Laman Tan Pantaleon & San Jose, Ma. Preciosa Gumaru of Balgos, Gumaru & Jalandoni Law Offices, Purisimo Buyco of Picazo, Buyco Tan Fider & Santos, Carmine Eliza Serrano of Villanueva Gabionza & De Santos Law Offices, Ponciano Gonzales Jr. of Jimenez Gonzales Valdez Caluya & Fernandez, Benjamin Bacorro of Ortega Del Castillo Bacorro Odullo Calma & Carbonell, Denis Habawel of Ponce Enrile Reyes & Manalastas, Eric Santos and Angelica Santos of Santos Santos & Santos and Estanislao Canta of the Bureau of Immigration. Also in attendance were lawyers Emmanuel Buenaventura of Quisumbing Torres, John Jerico L. Balisnomo of Villaraza Cruz Marcelo & Angangco, Maribeth Taytayon-Padios representing Ombudsman Merceditas Navarro-Gutierrez, Mayumi Mitzi L. Arao of the Office of the Court Administrator, Sabino Padilla IV and former IBP President Jose Aguila Grapilon.

REGIONAL CONSULTATION HIGHLIGHTS... from page 16

Aside from the Board of Governors and National Officers, present in the consultation were: Samar Chapter: Atty. Cesar T. Mabansag, incoming president Atty. Eduardo P. Tibo, incumbent president. Northern Samar Chapter: Atty. Rolando Dubongco, incoming president Atty. Edsel A. Ballicud, incumbent president. Eastern Samar Chapter: Atty. Jovi Opinion, incoming president, Atty. Lionel Titong, incumbent president. Bohol Chapter: Atty. Cristifil Baluma, incoming president, Atty. Mitchell John Boiser, incumbent president Leyte Chapter: Atty. Percival Perez, incoming president, Atty. Daniel G. Matriano, incumbent president. Cebu City: Atty. Earl Bonachita, incoming president, Atty. Michael Yu, incumbent president. Southern Leyte Chapter: Atty. Manuel L. Enage Jr., incumbent president Governor Inting invited the chapter presidents to support the convention while Governor Miclat cited the tourist attractions in Subic. Director Setias-Reyes meanwhile presented the highlights of the convention program. EVP Libarios commended the IBP members present for showing interest in supporting and attending the 13th National Convention.
IBP Eastern Mindanao Consultation EVP Roan Libarios presides over a meeting of the Eastern Mindanao Region Chapter Presidents. Present were Atty. Jesus Maria James L. Bringas of Agusan del Norte, Atty. Romualdo B. Densing of Camiguin, Atty. Socorro Ermac Cabreros and Atty. Dan Bangoy of Davao City, Atty. Jesus Albacite of Davao del Norte, Atty. Teodoro Nano of Davao Oriental, Atty. Dale Bryan Mordeno of Misamis Oriental, Atty. Fernando Almeda III of Surigao del Norte and Atty. Gerardo Maglinte of Surigao del Sur. The meeting was held in Davao Citys Chippens Restaurant last February 12.

l City Mayor Michae officers and Cebu by red de ten IBP governors and ng eti me ts during a lunch L. Rama share insigh ael Yu) urtesy of Atty. Mich co IBP Cebu. (Photo

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IBP CALLS FOR CON-CON

The IBP Board of Governors has unanimously approved a resolution calling on Congress to initiate and approve the convening of a constitutional convention to propose amendments to the Constitution. In the same resolution, the IBP also urged the President of the Philippines to support the initiative. Gov. Jose Cabrera, main proponent of the resolution, stressed the need to review the Constitution which was drafted 25 years ago by the Constitutional Commission of 1986 and promulgated the following year. In a memorandum issued on February 24, 2011 by Gov. Cabrera, chairman of the IBP Committee on Legislation Advocacy and Revision of Rules, and EVP and Presidentelect Roan Libarios, the IBP asked members from all its 85 chapters to submit proposed amendments for consolidation by the IBP Board. The IBP also called on all its chapters to urge their respective Representatives/Senators in Congress to initiate and approve the convening of a constitutional convention to review, amend or revise the 1987 Constitution.

Scrap plea bargain agreementIBP

The IBP Board of Governors called on the Ombudsman to withdraw and recall the plea bargaining agreement it entered into with Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia, which is still pending approval by the Sandiganbayan.
We firmly believe that the plea bargaining agreement is highly improper and immoral, said the IBP manifesto released to the media last February 7. The agreement defeats our quest to expose the truth on the financial mess and corruption in our military organization, the statement said, adding that public officers involved in corruption should not be treated with kid gloves by the government. In the same press conference, the IBP expressed support over embattled lawyer Noel Malaya, co-counsel of whistleblower and Senate star witness Lt. Col. George Rabusa, who had been receiving threats via text message from an anonymous sender. We strongly denounce the threats and harassments made on fellow lawyer Noel Malaya The IBP is ready and willing to extend assistance to protect a member of the legal profession. The case of former Deputy Chief of Staff Garcia erupted in 2003 when his sons smuggled to the US $100,000 in cash. This triggered investigations on his unexplained wealth, frequent travels overseas and ostentatious lifestyle, which resulted in the filing of cases of plunder and money laundering against him and his family before the Sandiganbayan in the amount of P303.2 million. Meanwhile, the General Court Martial of the Armed Forces of the Philippines found him guilty and ordered his discharge for not declaring his true assets and for enjoying permanent resident status in the US. His application for bail before the Sandiganbayan was denied on January 7, 2010. In spite of the denial of bail, the Office of the Ombudsman and the Special Prosecutor executed a Joint Motion for the Approval of The Plea Bargaining Agreement with Gen. Garcia. The motion, which allowed Garcia to plead to lesser offenses of indirect bribery and facilitating money laundering, was filed with the Sandiganbayan in March 2010. Part of the agreement would have Gen. Garcia return P135.4 million of the P303.2 million. In May 2010, the Sandiganbayan, allowed Garcia to enter a plea for lesser offense and granted him bail without resolving the motion to approve the plea bargain agreement.
(Follow the information trail at http:// www.scribd.com/doc/50837954/Partial-BlueRibbon-Committee-Report-Plea-BargainAgreement-Sen-TG-Guingona)

For more information on the IBP, visit www.ibp.ph

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The Board of Governors meets the press to present its stand on the Garcia plea bargain agreement.

 Message, Hon. Midas Marquez, Court Administrator Convention Programme Highlights Signing of the Covenant Wednesday, April 6 Registration, IBP Olympics, Expo Thursday, April 7 Entrance of Colors/Processional Call to Order, Justice Santiago Kapunan (Ret.) Presentation of Keys City Mayor James Gordon Jr. Provl Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. Welcome Remarks Rep. Mitos Magsaysay Pres. Deo Amor David, IBP Zambales Chapter Gov. Ferdinand Miclat, IBP Central Luzon Board of Governors Report, EVP Roan Libarios Introduction of the Keynote Speaker, Gov. Roland Inting 10:00 11:00 am Keynote Address, Vice President Jejomar C. Binay Introduction of the Luncheon Speaker, Gov. Jose Cabrera 11:30 12:30 am Luncheon Address, Sen. Chiz Escudero
Master of Ceremonies: Atty. Adel Tamano, President, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila

Oath-taking of Officers with Chief Justice Corona Fellowship/Cocktails/Dance

Master of Ceremonies: Dean Amado Valdez, UE College of Law

Friday, April 8 8:30 10:00 am 10:00 11:00 am 11:15 11:30 am 11:30 12:30 pm 1:00 3:00 pm Lecture, Legal Research/Citation, Prof. Myrna Feliciano Introduction of Convention Speaker, Gov. Milagros Fernan-Cayosa Convention Address, Chief Justice Renato C. Corona IBP Casebook System Presentation Introduction of Luncheon Speaker, Gov. Nasser Marohomsalic Luncheon Address, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima

8:00 10 am

Theme Discourse 1: Integrity Professional Ethical Standards - SC Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno Theme Discourse 2: Competence Modes of Discovery & Litigation Skills CA Justice Magdangal de Leon 3:00 5:30 pm Convention Lectures The Writs of Personal Liberties - Rep. Neri Colmenares The International Criminal Court - Dean Raul Pangalangan
Master of Ceremonies: Atty. J. Virgilio Bautista, Past President, IBP Nueva Ecija, and Dean Nilo Divina, UST College of Law

Master of Ceremonies: Executive Judge Merianthe Pacita Zuraek, RTC Judge, Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya

1:00 6:00 pm

Convention Lectures Dissecting the Webb Decision Based on the Rules on Evidence For the Prosecution - Magtanggol Castro, OSG For the Defense - Ongkiko Manghit Custodio Law Office Charter Change - Justice Vicente Mendoza (Ret.) Federalism - Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr.

National Bench & Bar Symposium Theme: Simplifying and Improving the Litigation Process Our Road Map to Change - SC Justice Roberto Abad Reactors: CA Justice Noel Tijam Hon. Antonio Eugenio Jr., Pres. RTC Judges Hon. Jaime Santiago, Pres. MTC Judges Chief State Prosecutor Claro Arellano EVP Roan Libarios Master of Ceremonies: Dean Amado Valdez, UE College of Law 9:00 12:00 mn Solidarity Night with the Judiciary Welcome Remarks Gov. Manuel Maramba 7:00 9:00 pm

Master of Ceremonies: Dean Manuel Quibod, Ateneo de Davao College of Law and Atty. Socorro Cabreros, President, IBP Davao

Regional Presentations and Awards Night Introduction of Guest Speaker, Gov. Erwin Fortunato Message, Solicitor General Jose Anselmo Cadiz Presentation of Regional Muses Awards & Recognitions: Biggest Delegation; Outstanding Chapter, Chapter President, Legal Aid Chapter and Legal Aid Lawyer Special Service Awards for Longest Serving Legal Aid Lawyers: Atty. Pedro Genato (since 1991), Atty. Antonio Laggui (since 1992), Atty. Florimund Roos (since 1990). Distinguished Service Award: Atty. Bruno Cabrera Winners in IBP Olympics, Regional Presentations & Ms. IBP National Master of Ceremonies: Atty. Marissa Manalo & 8:00 12::00 pm
Atty. Vicente Mayo, past IBP presidents, Calmana and Batangas, respectively

Saturday, April 9 8:00 11:00 am Plenary Session, EVP Roan Libarios, Presiding Officer Presentors: CLAS, Atty. Rose Setias-Reyes, NCLA Director Amendments to By-laws, Gov. Amador Tolentino Jr. 11:00 12:00 pm Luncheon Address, Speaker Feliciano R. Belmonte Jr. 12:00 Closing Post-Convention MCLE (Saturday afternoon up to Sunday)

IBP bucks lawyers inclusion in Anti-Money Laundering Law

The IBP has opposed the inclusion of lawyers, notaries, other independent legal professionals and accountants as covered individuals to House Bill Nos. 698 and 3323, titled An Act to Further Strengthen the AntiMoney Laundering Law.
According to the IBP, the said bills offer no convincing or logical explanation for the specific inclusion of lawyers and accountants other than the perceived relation of their profession to possible acts of money laundering. Most probably, the IBP said, the bills assume that money launderers engage the professional services of lawyers and accountants, hence these professionals themselves should be placed under the scrutiny of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC). The AMLC is the government body that monitors and implements the Anti-Money Laundering Law. It is composed of the Governor of the Bangko Sentral, Commissioner of the Insurance Commission and the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. By specifying and singling out lawyers, notaries and other independent legal professionals and accountants, the IBP declared, the Bills have already consigned them as belonging to a suspicious class of individuals under the anti-money laundering law. This categorization is without any valid justifications and would automatically place the privacy, confidentiality and integrity of these professionals under the microscopic scrutiny and examination of the AMLC, the IBP statement said. The IBP said the proposed amendments admit to weaknesses in enforcing the Anti-Money Laundering Law and the proposed bills now turn to lawyers and other professionals as scapegoats for the poor performance of the AMLC by tagging them as fronts for money launderers. The IBP concedes that not all lawyers and accountants are perfect. However, with the exception of few non-conforming lawyers and accountants, lawyers and accountants alike have maintained and sustained the highest standards of ethical conduct in their chosen professions. The IBP also said the proposed inclusion does not take into account the prevailing definition of practice of law. During hearings in Congress, the AMLC had said that lawyers should fall under the covered individuals clause in the proposed bills because the activities referred to in the bills e.g., carrying out client transactions such as buying/selling real estate, managing clients financial and other assets, or buying/selling business entities -- do not pertain to the litigation work of lawyers. The practice of law is not limited to the conduct of cases or litigation in court, the IBP said, quoting a 1991 Supreme Court decision where the SC defined practice of law [Renato Cayetano vs. Christian Monsod, Jovito R. Salonga, et al, 201 SCRA 210.]

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NCLA SCORES!
By Rosalie de la Cruz
NCLA lawyer

The IBPs National Committee on Legal Aid (NCLA) has been very active in its advocacy against illegal recruitment and estafa.
The NCLA recently represented about 100 victims of large-scale (syndicated) illegal recruitment under the so-called student visa scheme in cases filed before the Office of the City Prosecutor of Manila and in the Office of the City Prosecutor of Makati against two illegal recruiters. To date, the NCLA has successfully established the finding of probable cause for large scale illegal recruitment and estafa against the respondents in the criminal complaint filed by the first among three batches of victims before the Office of the City Prosecutor of Manila. Underpinning the NCLA campaign against illegal recruitment is the defense of human rights. It applied the same principle when it represented an accused in a case before the Court of Appeals. The lower court had earlier found the accused guilty of large-scale illegal recruitment and estafa, allegedly in cohorts with two other individuals. However, working under a directive of the Supreme Court and fully convinced of the innocence of the accused, the NCLA actively and persistently represented the accused and filed her appellants brief. The appeal is pending before the Court of Appeals. In November 2010, the IBP, through the NCLA, forged a partnership with Visayan Forum Foundation, Inc., an NGO whose advocacies include human trafficking, domestic servitude and other forms of exploitation. The partnership with Visayan Forum Foundation aims to provide access to legal counselling and services to victims of human trafficking towards ensuring successful prosecution of cases. It also helps facilitate learning, information sharing, and skills upgrade among lawyers and other public and private stakeholders on issues related to human trafficking. It also helps bring about reforms in laws and practice through monitoring of cases and policy advocacy.

Legal aid on radio and TV. The IBPs National Committee on Legal Aid is a regular guest of the radio program Bantay OCW hosted by Ms. Susan K and aired over DZIQ, 990 khz every Saturday at 2:00 4:00 in the afternoon. A taped TV show of the same title airs weeknights from 10:15 - 11:15 pm over NBN TV-4. The NCLA also provides legal counseling to the public by guesting in the radio program Batas Barangay aired every Friday, 6:30 - 7:30 pm over DZRH, 666 khz. The program focuses on human rights issues. The picture above shows Ms. Susan K of Bantay OCW interviewing NCLA National Director Atty. Rosario Setias-Reyes (right) and an NCLA client.

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