Marites Dañguilan Vitug

At least 3,000 lawyers gathered in Davao City for the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) national convention, where they were told to change mindsets, stop being parochial and help change the image of the Philippine judiciary. Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno urged the lawyers to “reverse” the image of the legal profession and improve levels of confidence in the judicial profession. Sen Edgardo Angara told colleagues that lawyering is undergoing a dramatic change in the context of the modern world powered by technology and globalization. By 2015, he said, the ASEAN will be one economic market, yet the Philippines is one of the few countries in the region where borders remain closed to foreign lawyers. The most daring challenge came from the newest and youngest member of the Supreme Court, Justice Marvic Leonen, who asked the lawyers to “criticize” the Court on the substance of its decisions and how these relate to law.

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