Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Jhosep Y. Lopez urged the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Investigating Commissioners to uphold the legal profession’s integrity and public trust amid rising ethical challenges brought about by the growing use of digital and online platforms in legal practice.
Speaking at the 3rd Investigating Commissioners’ Summit of the IBP – Commission on Bar Discipline (IBP-CBD) held on May 29, 2025, Justice Lopez emphasized the critical role of investigators in enforcing accountability under the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (CPRA).
“We must not allow delay, indifference, or complacency to erode the public’s trust in the legal profession. That responsibility now rests with you… You are not just hearing cases; you are safeguarding the profession,” Justice Lopez emphasized.
Under Canon VI, Section 4 of the CPRA, the IBP recommends 150 lawyers in good standing to serve as Investigating Commissioners for three-year terms, responsible for investigating lawyers’ administrative cases and submitting findings to the SC En Banc.
As Chairperson of the SC Sub-Committee on the IBP Oversight, Justice Lopez praised the speeding up of disciplinary case resolutions but stressed that “discipline is not only about sanction; it is also about restoration.”
“We must never lose sight of both justice and mercy in how we apply the Code,” he added.
Justice Lopez further underscored the challenges posed by new digital frontiers, including social media and online lawyering, which require heightened ethical vigilance.
The summit featured sessions on key CPRA provisions and recent SC rulings, with discussions by Justices Geraldine C. Fiel-Macaraig, Ma. Theresa Dolores C. Gomez-Estoeta, Atty. Antonio Ceasar R. Manila, and other experts covering topics from the Lawyer’s Oath and ethical canons to legal writing and disciplinary procedures.
The event, which gathered 137 commissioners tasked with investigating administrative cases against lawyers across the country, concluded with the turnover ceremony of the IBP’s 26th Board of Governors to the 27th Board on May 30, marking the culmination of the four-day summit held from May 28 to 31.
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