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Monday, January 30, 2006
Seares: Lawyers speak out
By Pachico A. Seares
News Sense
LAWYERS are talking.
In courtrooms where they earn their pay by opening their mouth and outside the court, usually to defend clients, but, more increasingly now, to air public issues.
Last week, a number of IBP officers railed against a Cebu City Council plan to publicly list judges who suspiciously drop cases of illegal drugs.
Then, lawyers slammed the habit of police decoys in luring women into sex on pretext of getting evidence, and lashed at the charging of fees on criminal complaints, which can turn off people from going to court. (Government gripes about citizen apathy and they bill those who come out and prosecute crime suspects.)
Last year, lawyer Fred Sipalay, a winner in the 2005 Sun.Star Citizen Awards, flogged the closing of the south coastal road and sued the mayor in court, which led to SRP’s reopening.
Their stake.
After all, lawyers are part of the public. They have as much stake in governance as the merchant, jeepney driver, or housewife.
Besides, lawyers generally make better advocates of public causes because of presumed skill in law and language. They can raise hell and get noticed.
I applaud the outburst of concern and energy from these lawyers.
Never mind if some of them do it with an eye on media mileage to boost clientele and prospects in politics.
Think of the otherwise billable hours the lawyers spend for public good.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (January 30, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here.
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