The Union of Peoples’ Lawyers in Mindanao (UPLM) expressed grave concern about the ‘Golden Pillar of Law Award’ that the Integrated Bar of the Philippines here had conferred upon former President Rodrigo Duterte even as it asked the national lawyers’ group to reconsider.
In a statement signed by Lawyer Beverly S. Musni, UPLM secretary general, the group pointed out that honoring an individual who has a public record of ignoring due process, e.g., utilizing extrajudicial ‘drug matrices’ to persecute suspected drug addicts and criminals, raises serious questions about the standards being promoted by the country’s national organization of lawyers.
‘The award was conferred upon a lawyer charged before the International Criminal Court (ICC) as an alleged ‘indirect co-perpetrator’ of the ‘crime against humanity of murder,’ the group said IBP Davao chapter had earlier stated that the ‘Golden Pillar of Law Award’ was intended to recognize lawyers in good standing who had served 50 years in the legal profession. It also cited the IBP By-Laws, which said that to be in good standing, a member must have paid all dues and assessments and not be suspended from the practice of law.
But UPLM said this view overlooked ‘critical legal and ethical considerations’ fundamental to the integrity of the profession.
‘The distinction of being a ‘pillar of law’ transcends mere longevity,’ the lawyers’ group argued. ‘It necessitates a consistent and demonstrable adherence to the rule of law, justice, due process, and human rights-the very bedrock of our legal system.’ ‘Honoring an individual who has a public record of ignoring due process, e.g., utilizing extrajudicial ‘drug matrices’ to persecute suspected drug addicts and criminals-lists which he later admitted contained grave errors-raises serious questions about the standards being promoted by the country’s national organization of lawyers,’ it said.
Duterte’s deadly war on drugs resulted in what the ICC Prosecutor termed a ‘widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population,’ which was in conflict with the concept of a lawyer being in ‘good standing’ in the fullest sense of the term, according to the statement.
The group also cited the Lawyer’s Oath as a solemn vow to uphold the rule of law, justice, truth, and the rights of all people.
‘If unchallenged, the award conferred to Duterte risks normalizing grave breaches of ethical conduct as irrelevant to professional merit,’ it said. ‘The UPLM is deeply concerned that celebrating a lawyer whose official acts are under investigation for crimes against humanity appears inconsistent with the spirit and letter of this solemn oath.’
It also refuted IBP Davao City chapter’s position that the award ‘does not serve as an endorsement of political acts or personal ideologies.’
‘For a member of the legal profession, actions and policies that undermine the rule of law and are linked to grave human rights violations cannot be divorced from one’s professional standing,’ it said.
‘They are not simply ‘political acts’ but matters that strike at the heart of our duties as officers of the court,’ it said.
UPLM implored the IBP national leadership to reconsider its decision to preserve the integrity of the award and ensure that ‘standards for such accolades reflect the highest ethical obligations of the Philippine Bar.’ ‘We must consider the impact of this award on the public’s trust in the legal profession, particularly on the thousands of victims of the war on drugs, many from the poorest and most marginalized communities, who continue their enduring quest for justice and accountability,’ the lawyers’ group said. ‘For them, Duterte’s award is deeply painful and may be perceived as a validation of the impunity they have suffered.’