SC Pushes for Faithful Adherence to the CPRA
August 17, 2023
Supreme Court Associate Justice Jose Midas P. Marquez addresses the officers, members, and guests of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines – Bohol Chapter (IBP Bohol Chapter) on behalf of Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo at IBP Bohol Chapter’s 50th Anniversary Celebration and Honoring Night held on August 10, 2023 at Fortridge Pavilion in Dauis, Bohol. (Photo courtesy of IBP Bohol Chapter)
Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo has reiterated to the members of the Bar the importance of the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (CPRA) not just in the practice of the legal profession, but even in the daily lives of lawyers.
In a message delivered on his behalf by Associate Justice Jose Midas P. Marquez at the 50th Anniversary Celebration and Honoring Night of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines – Bohol Chapter (IBP Bohol Chapter) on August 10, 2023 at Fortridge Pavilion in Dauis, Bohol, the Chief Justice referred to the CPRA as a “steady compass” on which legal professionals can rely, stressing that ethics lies at the heart of legal practice.
“Amid a world in flux, we have the CPRA to direct us unfailingly towards moral and just conduct,” said Chief Justice Gesmundo. “In a changing world, it reminds us of what is constant in our profession. In adhering to it, we maintain the honor and dignity of the legal profession, strengthen camaraderie and solidarity within it, and ensure our faithful compliance with our duties and obligations not only to the legal profession, but also to the courts and our justice system; not only to our peers and clients, but also to the public and our country.”
The Chief Justice emphasized that the approval of the CPRA by the Supreme Court En Banc is part of the Court’s broader campaign for ethical responsibility under the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027 (SPJI). He pointed out that the CPRA highlights the other innovations of the Court, such as the revision of the Rules of Court. He also said that the CPRA complements the initiative of the Court “to reorient legal education through the Revised Law Student Practice Rule or Rule 138-A, which embraces the concept of experiential education and the value of legal social responsibility, to mold law students into ethical and humane lawyers in the future.”
Chief Justice Gesmundo concluded his message by extending the gratitude of the Supreme Court to the IBP Bohol Chapter for its support.
“We in the Court are truly thankful for your partnership, and we count on the continued and active support of IBP Bohol—and particularly of your new set of officers—as we push for faithful adherence to the CPRA across our profession, and as we continue to work towards the success of the reforms and the realization of the vision we have laid out in the SPJI: a judiciary that is efficient, innovative, and accessible; that keeps pace with the evolving demands of our nation and its people; that delivers justice not in time, not eventually, but in real time,” expressed the Chief Justice.
The IBP Bohol Chapter celebrated its 50th anniversary by honoring the judges and prosecutors of the Chapter as well as distinguished Boholano lawyers and new Chapter members. (Courtesy of the Supreme Court – Public Information Office)
Associate Justice Jose Midas P. Marquez (eighth from right) poses for posterity with some of the honorees of Integrated Bar of the Philippines – Bohol Chapter’s 50th Anniversary Celebration and Honoring Night, held on August 10, 2023 at Fortridge Pavilion in Dauis, Bohol. (Photo courtesy of the IBP Bohol Chapter)
Associate Justice Jose Midas P. Marquez (left) receives a token from Integrated Bar of the Philippines – Bohol Chapter (IBP Bohol Chapter) President Atty. Julius Gregory B. Delgado during IBP Bohol Chapter’s 50th Anniversary Celebration and Honoring Night, held on August 10, 2023 at Fortridge Pavilion in Dauis, Bohol. (Photo courtesy of IBP Bohol Chapter)
Associate Justice Jose Midas P. Marquez addresses the officers, members, and guests of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines – Bohol Chapter (IBP Bohol Chapter) on behalf of Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo at IBP Bohol Chapter’s 50th Anniversary Celebration and Honoring Night held on August 10, 2023 at Fortridge Pavilion in Dauis, Bohol. (Photo courtesy of IBP Bohol Chapter)