SC justice to new lawyers: Defend institution of courts despite disagreement with rulings

MANILA, Philippines — New lawyers of the country reminded by Supreme Court justices to "defend the institution of the courts" even when they disagree with rulings.

On Friday, 1,719 lawyers have taken their oath before the 12 justices of the Supreme Court in a special en banc session at the PICC.

One thousand seven hundred twenty-four law graduates successfully hurdled the 2017 Bar Examinations but not all took the oath due to “pending cases,” the SC Public Information Office said. The number of oath takers on June 1 included some of the 2016 bar passers who failed to take their oath last year.

READ: 25.5% of examinees pass 2017 bar exam

Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio called to order the session, while Associate Justice Samuel MArtires delivered the invocation.

Associate Justices Diosdado Peralta was not present in the special en banc session as he is out of the country, while Associate Justice Andres Reyes Jr. is on leave.

READ: 'It's all worth it', Bar 2017 passers say

‘Fealty to the rule of law’

Associate Justice Francis Jardeleza delivered an inspirational message to the new members of the bar.

“Whatever mind and talent you think you are born with, be humble enough to know that you do not, and cannot, know it all. But what little we know we can improve through hard work and dedication,” Jardeleza, a former solicitor general, said.

Jardeleza also harped on the significance of having empathy.

“Each time you celebrated a success, pair your humility with a good dose of relating to, and understanding, the pain and disappointment of those less fortunate than you,” he said.

Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin, 2017 Bar chair, urged the new members of the bar to be “vigilant as lawyers.”

“Mechanisms for holding justices and judges accountable to the sovereign people are in place. They should not be bypassed by anyone who is disappointed over judicial results,” Bersamin said.

He stressed: “At the hour when disrespect for the courts and their judgments becomes rampant, and when the very ramparts of our constitutional democracy are assailed, lawlessness and disorder may badly tear the moral fabric of the nation.”

It is in the face of “unreasonable resenters and intolerant sceptics” that lawyers should defend the institution of courts “whether [they] agree or disagree with the rulings and outcomes of controversies,” Bersamin added.

He noted that as lawyers tasked to uphold the rule of law, they should “always detest and reprove a fellow lawyer who joins a public demand for disrespecting the courts and their rulings.”

“As lawyers, always deal with the courts, your clients, adversaries and fellow lawyers with the highest degree of professionalism and civility,” the SC justice also said.

The SC PIO, before the oath taking, issued an advisory that cautioned the bar passers and attendees of the event to “observe proper decorum or face the contempt of the court.”

The SC was rocked by a controversial and landmark ruling on the ouster of former chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno—a decision that reaped strong opposition from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, law academe, lawmakers and several groups, including international law groups.

The historic ruling that ousted a sitting chief justice sparked also protests across the country.

Sereno has appealed for the reversal of the ruling that according to her, went against the Constitution and has laid down precedents that go against the Constitution.

READ: In appeal of ouster, Sereno warns of 'far-reaching consequences' of SC ruling