SC asked to probe, penalize IBP officers for using resources in aiding ‘Bikoy’
Credit to Author: JOMAR CANLAS, TMT| Date: Mon, 27 May 2019 05:35:57 +0000
THE Supreme Court on Monday was asked to investigate the officials of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) for allowing the use of its facilities and resources by the man who linked family members and allies of President Rodrigo Duterte to illegal drug activities.
Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, in a letter to Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin, pleaded before the high court to use its supervision and control over the IBP whose officials “besmirched” its name by letting Peter Joemel Advincula alias “Bikoy” hild a press conference on its premises.
It will be the second complaint lodged against the IBP on the Bikoy controversy.
The first was filed by Kabalikat Partylist 149, headed by Tomas Jose Cabrido, asking the high tribunal to sanction IBP President Abdiel Dan Elijah S. Fajardo and his successor Domingo Egon Q. Cayosa.
Cabrido said the two violated Rule 1.02 of the Code of Professional Responsibility, which states “a lawyer shall not counsel or abet activities at defiance of the law or at lessening confidence in the legal system.”
In his complaint, Topacio said that “much damage has been done to the IBP, as well as to the legal profession in general, hence, the officers responsible for this reprehensible event should be investigated and held accountable.”
“In view of the foregoing, I am most respectfully requesting that the Honorable Supreme Court-which exercises supervision and control over the IBP pursuant to Article VIII, Section 5(5) of the 1987 Constitution, to look into this matter at the soonest possible time in order to preserve the trust and respect of the public in the IBP as the national organization of lawyers in the Philippines,” it stated.
Topacio said that it was difficult to believe that the function room of the IBP, which was used by Advincula, was done without the knowledge and approval of the IBP officers.
“Furthermore, Advincula was even accompanied by the IBP National Director for Legal Aid, Minerva Ambrosio, as well as some Catholic nuns,” it said.
The IBP is under the supervision and control of the Supreme Court and for 2019 alone shall receive P100 million from Congress for its operation, primarily for legal aidl.
Bikoy appeared before the media on May 6 at the national office of the IBP in Ortigas Center, Pasig City, and confessed that he was the “hooded man” who made the allegations into illegal drugs against Duterte’s son Paolo and former Special Assistant to the President and now Senator-elect Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go.
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