De Lima asks IBP to resolve disbarment cases

MANILA, Philippines – Justice Secretary Leila de Lima has asked the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) to quickly resolve the disbarment cases filed against her in 2011.

IBP President Roan Libarios told Rappler that De Lima filed a motion for the summary resolution of her cases on July 13. The cases – which have only been recently referred to the IBP – have been raffled off to two investigating commissioners, Libarios said. 

The Judicial and Bar Council – the body that screens and vets aspirants for the judiciary – has given De Lima and other contenders who face administrative or criminal cases until July 30 to have their cases dismissed. Otherwise, they will be disqualified.

Under Rule 4, Section 5 of the JBC rules, the following are considered disqualifed from “appointment to any judicial post or as Ombudsman or Deputy Ombudsman:”

• those with pending criminal or regular administrative cases
• pending criminal cases in foreign courts or tribunal
• those who have been convicted in any criminal case; or in an administrative case, where the penalty imposed is at least a fine of more than P10,000, unless he has been granted judicial clemency.

In 2011, lawyers Ricardo Rivera and Augusto Sundiam went to the Supreme Court to file two disbarment complaints against her.

Rivera said De Lima should be disbarred for defying the temporary restraining order issued by the Supreme Court in November 2011, which stopped her from implementing a travel ban against former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her husband Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo.

Sundiam, on the other hand, said De Lima should be disbarred because of her stinging statement against then Chief Justice Renato Corona, whom she called on national television a “tyrant who holds himself above justice and accountability.” – Rappler.com

Related Stories: 

• The case of De Lima and Devanadera: JBC’s old dilemma
• De Lima’s future dilemma
• [EXCLUSIVE] Disbarment case vs De Lima? IBP never got complaints
• De Lima among PNoy’s top choices for CJ

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