Article 18p. 18

LEGAL AND JUDICIAL ETHICS CODES, CANONS AND RULES

evidence

introduced

in

his

investigation,

with

the

Supreme Court, and the respondent shall be served by

the clerk of the Supreme Court with a copy of the

complaint with direction to answer the same within

fifteen (15) days.

Section 6. Evidence produced before Solicitor General

available. — The evidence produced before the Solicitor

General in his investigation may be considered by the

Supreme Court in the final decision of the case, if the

respondent

had

an

opportunity

to

object

and

cross-examine.

If

in

the

respondent's

answer

no

statement is made as to any intention of introducing

additional evidence, the case shall be set down for

hearing, upon the filing of such answer or upon the

expiration of the time to file the same.

Section 7. Commissioner to investigate and recommend.

Rules of evidence. — Upon receipt of the respondent's

answer, wherein a statement is made as to his desire to

introduce additional evidence, the case shall be referred

to a commissioner who, in the discretion of the court,

may be the clerk of the Supreme Court, a judge of first

instance, or an attorney-at-law for investigation, report,

and

recommendation.

The

Solicitor

General

or

his

representative shall appear before the commissioner to

conduct the prosecution. The respondent shall be given

full opportunity to defend himself, to produce additional

evidence in his own behalf, and to be heard by himself

and counsel. However, if upon reasonable notice the

respondent fails to appear, the investigation shall proceed

ex parte. The rules of evidence shall be applicable to

proceedings of this nature.

Section 8. Report of commissioner and hearing. — Upon

receipt of the report of the commissioner, copies of which

shall

be

furnished

the

Solicitor

General

and

the

respondent, the case shall be set down for hearing before

the court, following which the case shall be considered

submitted to the court for its final determination.

Section 9. Procedure in Court of Appeals or Courts of

First

Instance.

— As far as may be applicable, the

procedure above outlined shall likewise govern the filing

and investigation of complaints against attorneys in the

Court of Appeals or in Courts of First Instance. In case of

suspension of the respondent, the judge of the court of

first instance or Justice of the Court of Appeals shall

forthwith transmit to the Supreme Court a certified copy

of the order of suspension and a full statement of the

facts upon which same is based.

Section

10.

Confidential.

—

Proceedings

against

attorneys shall be private and confidential, except that

the final order of the court shall be made public as in

other cases coming before the court.

RULE 139-A Integrated Bar of the Philippines

Section 1. Organization . — There is hereby organized an

official national body to be known as the "Integrated Bar

of the Philippines," composed of all persons whose names

now appear or may hereafter be included in the Roll of

Attorneys of the Supreme Court.

Section 2. Purposes . — The fundamental purposes of the

Integrated Bar shall be to elevate the standards of the

legal profession, improve the administration of justice,

and enable the Bar to discharge its public responsibility

more effectively.

Section 3. Regions . — The Philippines is hereby divided

into nine Regions of the Integrated Bar, to wit:

(a) Northern Luzon , consisting of the provinces of Abra,

Batanes, Benguet, Cagayan, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos

Sur,

Isabela,

Kalinga-Apayao,

La

Union,

Mountain

Province, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino.

(b) Central Luzon , consisting of the provinces of Bataan,

Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Tarlac, and

Zambales;

(c) Greater Manila , consisting of the City of Manila and

Quezon City;

(d)

Southern

Luzon ,

consisting

of

the

provinces

of

Batangas,

Cavite,

Laguna,

Marinduque,

Occidental

Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Quezon, and Rizal;

(e)

Bicolandia ,

consisting of the provinces of Albay,

Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate,

and Sorsogon;

(f) Eastern Visayas , consisting of the provinces of Bohol,

Cebu, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Samar, and

Southern Leyte;

(g) Western Visayas , consisting of the provinces of Aklan,

Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental,

Palawan, Romblon, and Siquijor.

(h) Eastern Mindanao , consisting of the provinces of

Agusan del Norte, Agusan Del Sur, Bukidnon, Camiguin,

Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Misamis

Oriental, Surigao del Norte, and Surigao del Sur; and

(i) Western Mindanao , consisting of the cities of Basilan

and Zamboanga, and the provinces of Cotabato, Lanao

del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Misamis Occidental, South

Cotabato, Sulu, Zamboanga del Norte, and Zamboanga

del Sur.

In the event of the creation of any new province, the

Board

of

Governors

shall,

with the approval of the

Supreme Court, determine the Region to which the said

province shall belong.

Section 4. Chapters . — A Chapter of the Integrated Bar

shall

be

organized

in

every

province.

Except

as

hereinbelow provided, every city shall be considered part

of the province within which it is geographically situated.

A separate Chapter shall be organized in each of the

following political subdivisions or areas;

(a) The sub-province of Aurora;

(b) Each congressional district of the City of Manila;

(c) Quezon City;

(d) Caloocan City, Malabon and Navotas;

(e) Pasay City, Makati, Mandaluyong and San Juan del

Monte;

(f) Cebu City; and

(g) Zamboanga City and Basilan City.

Unless

he

otherwise

registers

his

preference

for

a

particular

Chapter,

a

lawyer

shall

be

considered

a

member of the Chapter of the province, city, political

subdivision or area where his office, or, in the absence

thereof, his residence is located. In no case shall any

lawyer be a member of more than one Chapter.

Each Chapter shall have its own local government as

provided for by uniform rules to be prescribed by the

Board of Governors and approved by the Supreme Court,

the provisions of Section 19 of this Rule notwithstanding.

Chapters

belonging

to

the

same

Region may hold

regional

conventions

on

matters

and

problems

of

common concern.

Section 5. House of Delegates . — The Integrated Bar shall

have a House of Delegates of not more than one hundred

twenty members who shall be apportioned among all the

Chapters as nearly as may be according to the number of

their respective members, but each Chapter shall have at

least one Delegate. On or before December 31, 1974, and

every four years thereafter, the Board of Governors shall

make an apportionment of Delegates.

The term of the office of Delegate shall begin on the date

of the opening of the annual convention of the House

and shall end on the day immediately preceding the date

of the opening of the next succeeding annual convention.

No person may be a Delegate for more than two terms.

The House shall hold an annual convention at the call of

the Board of Governors at any time during the month of

April of each year for the election of Governor, the reading

© Compiled By RGL

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