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Friday, March 18, 2005
IBP's Mercado lauds SC consultations
OUTGOING Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Negros Oriental Chapter president Raymund J.A. Mercado lauded the recent consultation he attended sponsored by the Supreme Court at Montebello Hotel in Cebu City on March 7-8, 2005.
Lawyer Mercado said the consultation highlighted proposed changes in the Rules of Court that each public practitioner has to observe in the performance of duty.
Foremost, he said counter suggestions like the proposal to reduce the fine against lawyers for various causes have been reduced.
Mercado said most of the participants to the consultation agreed that the fines were too big.
Earlier, the Supreme Court through the Project Management Office invited Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Araceli Alafriz and outgoing IBP Negros Oriental Chapter president Raymund J.A. Mercado for consultations on certain amendments in the Rules of Court.
Also invited were a number of judges and IBP presidents in the Visayas.
The IBP chapter Press Relations Office said the local organization agreed to bring up four subjects to be forwarded en banc for approval by the High Court.
The first subject is making the filing of memoranda compulsory in civil and criminal cases and optional for Public Prosecutors and Public Attorneys.
The practitioner who failed to comply will be fined P2,000 and will be suspended if he or she failed to pay the fine.
The second subject is to expand the Rules on Summary Procedure whereby the jurisdiction in criminal cases will be expanded to: damage to property up to P50,000; criminal cases punishable up to prision correccional minimum or two years and four months; inclusion of neighborhood crimes such as Malicious Mischief, Grave Coercion, Slander regardless of the nature of severity and penalty imposable; and excluding violations of traffic laws and regulations.
Also agreed to be forwarded is the subjected on the establishment of a Comprehensive Legal Assistance Program mandating the acceptance of pro bono cases for lawyers in private practice.
This program will be accredited as compliance with the MCLE.
Anyone who fails will be fined P10,000.
Lastly, IBP will bring the subject on expanding the Rule on Release or Recognizance to include all crimes provided it is bailable but subject to the sound discretion of the court upon compliance of certain conditions to ensure the accused's presence when required.
(March 17, 2005 issue)
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