SC Associate Justice Bersamin dares Court’s lawyer-critics

MANILA, Philippines—A Supreme Court Justice dared lawyers who joined in criticizing the Court to first turn in their certificate of admission to the Bar before joining in the attacks against the Judiciary.

“When a lawyer joins a public demand for disrespecting the courts and their rulings…you should first turn in your certificate of admission to the Bar before inflicting yourself upon the standing Constitutional System,” Supreme Court Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin said in his speech before the University of the East Law Alumni Association.

“This is because you would thereby assault the Judiciary of which you are an important officer and thus its integral part and parcel. You will have become unworthy of your Lawyer’s Oath,” Bersamin said.

President Benigno Aquino III took a swipe at the Supreme Court for allegedly making it hard for his administration to prosecute former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. A total of 12 Justices, including Chief Justice Renato Corona are appointed by the former President, now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

“When unreasonable resenters and skeptics exceed the boundaries of propriety and orderliness, they directly threaten the institution of the courts. The principles of free government are then publicly scorned and perverted,” Bersamin said.

He urged lawyers to defend the “institution of the courts regardless of whether you agree or disagree with the rulings and outcomes of controversies.”

“If you don’t, the day of anarchy and lawlessness may be upon us before we know it and our constitutionalism will vanish,” he said.