SC launches court ethics caravan

 MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court (SC) has kicked off a caravan to consult lawyers, judges and non-lawyers on proposed changes to the Code of Conduct for Court Personnel and the Code of Judicial Conduct.

The SC launched the ethics caravan in Iloilo City on July 24, wherein the use of social media was among the matters proposed and discussed.

During the caravan, the high tribunal reminded all judiciary officers and personnel to use social media responsibly or “face administrative sanctions.”

In his keynote message, Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo reaffirmed his commitment at the start of his tenure as head of the judiciary to “ensure a strong ethical regime for both the bench and the bar.”

Gesmundo said a broader campaign for ethical responsibility was articulated in the court’s Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027, which has the target outcomes of “efficiency, innovation and access.”

“When lawyers, judges, and courts and their personnel are ethical, they are sure to be efficient,” he said.

The ethics caravan on the proposed changes to the two codes is a continuation of an earlier caravan held by the SC to finalize the crafting of the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (CPRA), which was launched last year.

Gesmundo said the SC wants to ensure that, like the CPRA, both codes are thoroughly reviewed and brought up to date to remain relevant in contemporary times.

He said the two proposed codes, which are specific to the judiciary “are crucial, given the nature of the court’s work, and that these codes must remain reflective and responsive to the public’s needs and realities.”

SC Associate Justice Maria Filomena Singh, who chairs the sub-committees reviewing the two codes, said the stakeholders who will be impacted by the codes were invited to the caravan to allow them to participate in these consultations before the SC, as a full court, discusses the drafts and finalizes them.