TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Karl Belandres Miranda, who served as the guest of honor and speaker during the testimonial dinner for new lawyers in Kalinga at the Davidson Hotel on March 16, has urged those who are in the legal profession to uphold the rule of law and ensure that justice is served.
“It is the duty that every lawyer must not only carry out but live. It is hard enough to define this duty because justice is an abstract concept for many people. This is especially true considering that a great number of clients have a very simple concept of justice: to win the case at all costs, regardless of the truth,” Miranda said.
He added that “lawyers as leaders should make sure to ethically and responsibly use whatever power and influence the community’s respect brings, based on the principles of fairness, integrity, and the public good.”
He also cited the new Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (CPRA), which is a modern guide for the conduct of lawyers.
He explained that the CPRA holds them to a higher standard of conduct in and out of the courtroom, as the “bible” for all lawyers and the “compass” that would direct them “towards moral and just conduct.”
Justice Miranda underscored, “Lawyers have a fundamental duty to fight corruption. It is a duty rooted in their unique position as officers of the court and their commitment to legal ethics and integrity.”
As guardians of the law, he said that they are particularly equipped to identify, challenge, and prevent corrupt practices in and outside government. In addition, lawyers are expected to conduct due diligence to uphold the rule of law, ensure that justice prevails over illicit dealings, and prevent their services from being used for criminal acts.
The guest speaker stressed that low government pay is never an excuse to commit corruption, and those who cannot follow this simple rule have no business working for the people.
“I am making an impassioned plea for lawyers—especially for Cordilleran lawyers on this occasion—to rise above apathy and actively undertake the noble task of nation-building and fighting corruption,” Justice Miranda emphasized.
The guest also led the oath-taking ceremony of all the attending lawyers under the new Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability. By Ian Jefrey Addatu