Monday, July 21, 2008

Las Pinas City lawyers

HISTORICAL PROFILE

OF THE LAS PINAS CITY BAR ASSOCIATION (LPBA), INC.

(Updated as of July 21, 2008)[1]

1. General Membership Profile

We now have 100 members. In March 2001 we started with about 35 members.

About 10 members are from the Rotary Club of Las Pinas City, some of whom are either incumbent or past presidents thereof, led by Atty. Antonio Manzano (incumbent chairman), Atty. Dick Funk (past president and past chairman), Atty. Johnny Vinculado, Atty. Daniel Lacuata, et. al.

The members with the highest number of recruits are Atty. Rolly Cayton (past vice chairman), Atty. Antonio Manzano, Atty. Marlin Velasco (past president), and Atty, Dick Funk.

The past chairman, Hon. Magdangal de Leon, is now an Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals.

The same is true with the past secretary, Hon. Arcangelita Lontok, who was appointed to the Court of Appeals a few months after that of Hon. Magdangal de Leon. (She is the widow of Fiscal Pacifico Lontok, a founding member and past PRO).

Hon. Patria de Leon -- a founding member, a former solicitor, and wife of Hon. Magdangal de Leon -- was appointed RTC Judge of Muntinlupa City a few months after the appointment of Hon. Magdangal de Leon and Hon. Arcangelita Lontok.

Hon. Napoleon Monsod -- a founding director, former state prosecutor and past director -- is now the MTC Judge of Gen. Trias, Cavite.

Hon. Magdangal de Leon, Hon. Arcangelita Lontok, Hon. Patria de Leon, and Hon. Napoleon Monsod served as judicial advisers of the LPBA.

Asst. City Prosecutor Danny Uy is a founding member. Now assigned in Muntinlupa City, he served as a director and PRO of the association.

Assistant City Prosecutor Cynthia Luang joined as a member in October 2002 upon invitation of Hon. Magdangal de Leon. In February 2007, she was promoted as the Chief City Prosecutor of Las Pinas City.

Three members were RTC branch clerks of court, namely, Atty. Edgar Allan Morante (RTC Branch 275), Atty. Roberto Garcia (RTC Branch 254), and Atty. Evangeline Tiongson (formerly with RTC 253 Las Pinas City; now with RTC Muntinlupa City).

The past IBP national president Atty. Arthur D. Lim is a founding member and an adviser of LPBA. His daughter Atty. Victoria Lim, a young lawyer, is a member of LPBA. They are the lead lawyers of Sulpicio Lines.

The Corporate Secretary and Chief Legal Counsel of PAGCOR, Atty. Carlos Bautista (past IBP PPLM chapter president), and the past IBP Southern Luzon Governor, Atty. Angel Gonzalez (deceased), were founding members and served as advisers.

Two law-focused families are members, namely, the Lontok Family (Fiscal Pacifico Lontok and Atty. Arcangelita Lontok) composed of the Lontok couple, the Lontok sisters and a niece, and the Uy Family (Fiscal Danny Uy) composed of the father, a son and a daughter in law.

A director of the IBP Cavite Chapter, Atty. Pampilo Encarnacion, is a founding director, past vice president, and past treasurer of the LPBA. He is the incumbent vice chairman.

A director of the IBP Catanduanes Chapter, Atty. Marlin Velasco (past president of the Pilar Village Homeowners Association Inc.), is a founding director and past president of the LPBA.

A Comelec legal officer, Atty. Judy Lorenzo, is a founding member.

The former Chief Accountant and consultant of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Asian Development Bank and other private banks, Atty. Purita Fajilan, is a founding member, past auditor of the LPBA and incumbent president. She is married to Atty. Jovencio Fajilan, CPA, a founding director, past treasurer, and past auditor.

There are three law-centered couples who are founding members, namely, the Spouses Magdangal de Leon and Patria de Leon, the Spouses Pacifico Lontok (deceased) and Arcangelita Lontok, and the Spouses Jovencio and Purita Fajilan. Atty. Pete Diwa (founding member) recruited his wife Mrs. Liza Diwa (who helped run his law office) as a founding associate member.

The former register of deeds of Las Pinas City, Atty. Corazon Chavez, is a founding director of the LPBA.

The most senior member is Atty. Teodoro Bernardo, of FEU Law Class 1950. For health reasons, he is unable to attend our activities regularly.

Former city councilor Berlin de la Cruz is a founding member.

We have two engineer lawyers, namely, Atty. Jess Sirios (PEZA deputy administrator and past PRO) and Atty. Melvyn Lagasca (past president).

We have two vice presidents of the National Home Mortgage Finance Corp., namely, Atty. Rustico Cacal (retired) and Atty. Daniel Lacuata.

A founding member works with the Sandiganbayan, Atty. Pamela Uy (daughter in law of Fiscal Danny Uy).

We have five (5) CPA lawyers, namely, Atty. Myrna Mercader, Ph.D.(co-convenor/co-founder, past treasurer, past vice chairperson, and past chairperson of the LPBA and past treasurer and past auditor of the IBP PPLM Chapter); Atty. Jovencio Fajilan (past treasurer and past auditor); his wife Atty. Purita Fajilan (incumbent president); Atty. Luzviminda Zuniga (who works under CA Associate Justice A. Lontok); and Atty. Corazon Figuerres (incumbent treasurer and a retired Central Bank officer).

A former chief legal counsel of the DPWH is a founding member, Atty. Oscar Abundo.

A former chief legal counsel of the PCSO is a founding member, Atty. Romy Liggayu.

A former customs collector of Cebu City is a founding director, Atty. Rod Barriga(deceased).

A former NBI special prosecutor served as the founding chairman, Atty. Mar Reyes (now inactive in the association).

The first law student who joined the LPBA as a non-voting associate member was Atty. Felix Sayago (incumbent assistant treasurer and past secretary). He is a former management executive of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

The latest law student who joined the association as an associate member was Mrs. Machelle Laserna-Adricula (daughter of Atty. Manuel Laserna).

We encourage the law students of the College of Law of the Univ. of Perpetual Help Rizal located in our city to join as associate members. It is the only law school in our city.

About 25% of the membership is made up of female lawyers.

About 20% of the members are past or current professors of law or professors of business in various law schools and business schools.

Model for Other Voluntary Bar Associations

Founded on March 21, 2001 (organizational meeting at the Nature Cafe, Mary Immaculate Parish Church, Moonwalk Village, Las Pinas City), the LPBA was officially registered with the SEC as a non-stock, non-profit corporate law NGO in 2002, after a year of interim operation. Copies of its incorporation papers had been provided the Supreme Court, the IBP national office, the IBP PPLM Chapter, and the city government, for the record.

The LPBA convenors, Atty. Manuel Laserna Jr. and Atty. Myrna Mercader, had served the IBP PPLM Chapter from 1995 to 2007 in various capacities. Atty. Laserna served as the vice president of the chapter from 2005 to 2007 while Atty. Mercader served as its auditor for the said term.

The LPBA, thru its board and concerned committees, actively initiated the annual bench and bar dialogues and MCLE seminars in Las Pinas City from 2001 to 2007 in cooperation with the Executive Judges, the City Representative, the City Mayor, the Association of Barangay Chairmen, the City Chief of Police, the City Jail Warden, the City Social Services and Development Officer, and the City Post Master.

The LPBA is an accredited MCLE service provider since 2001.

It had served as the official model for the creation of the PARANAQUE CITY BAR ASSOCIATON and the MUNTINLUPA CITY BAR ASSOCIATION. Atty. Laserna and Atty. Mercader helped organized the two associations in 2006 following the incorporation papers and the vision of the LPBA.

2. Linkages with the Local Judiciary and the Supreme Court and Philippine Judicial Academy

In April 2001 and 2005, Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. administered the oaths of office of the directors and officers of the LPBA at his office. In July 2008 the incumbent Chief Justice Reynato Puno administered the oaths of office of the incumbent Board. In 2006, SC Senior Assoc. Justice Leonardo Quisumbing administered the oaths of office of the Board (term of past chairman Atty. Dick Funk). CA Assoc. Justice Magdangal de Leon and MTC Judge Nap Monsod also had the occasion in the past to administer the oaths of office of the past Boards.

The past and present Chief Justices of the Supreme Court were regularly provided with copies of the monthly digests of the resolutions and actions of the LPBA board for his information (cc: Executive Judges, Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Representative, IBP local and national offices).

The LPBA maintains close ties with the courts and judges of the city, led by the past and present RTC Executive Judges, who served as judicial advisers of the association.

The LPBA had worked closely with past RTC Exec. Judge Bonifacio Sanz Maceda on the planning and implementation of his proposed 180-Day EXPRESS COURT SYSTEM in the city since last year, and Atty. Laserna, Atty. Mercader, Atty. Lontok, Fiscal Lontok, Atty. Cayton and Atty. Funk had attended various meetings with the judges of the city and/or the officials of the Philippine Judicial Academy, led by former Supreme Court Associate Justice Ameurfina Herrera, on the said project (now being experimented among the courts of Pasay City).

Atty. Manuel Laserna and Atty. Dick Funk attended the 2007 national summit on extrajudicial killings launched by the Supreme Court upon invitation of the Chief Justice Reynato Puno, which was recognition of the importance placed upon the association by the highest tribunal.

3. Free Legal Aid Project

The past pilot phase of the joint LPBA-Rotary Club Weekly Free Legal Aid and Consultation Project is being implemented by the committee on free legal aid headed by Atty. Antonio Manzano, who is also a leader of the Rotary Club of the city. He provided free legal advice to indigent resident of our city.

Atty. Melvyn Lagasca (past president) and Atty. Marlin Velasco (past president) had served as heads of the committee on free legal aid, which provided free litigation assistance to indigent litigants in criminal cases. The Board designated interim volunteer trial lawyers for each branch of the RTC and the MTC during the past term of Atty. Lagasca and Atty. Velasco in the said committee. (There is a need to continue the said project on a per sala basis, now and in the future).

During the term of Atty. Manuel Laserna as vice president of the IBP chapter2005-2007), the chapter allotted an item for one free legal aid lawyer for our city, but for lack of interested applicants willing to make sacrifices in terms of minimal compensation, the said position did not materialize. Although the local chapter had allotted a small amount per quarter to reimburse the minor expenses of our volunteer legal aid lawyers, the same was not availed of because the law offices of our volunteer lawyers shouldered such expenses as an act of charity and compassion. (

From time to time the IBP chapter referred free legal aid cases to the LPBA committee on free legal aid for local assistance then headed by Atty. Lagasca and Atty. Velasco.

4. Other Legal Advocacies

The committee on legal research and publications, headed by Atty. Rod Barriga (deceased), had previously piloted the publication of the LPBA Law Digests. It is a project that we hope to continue, given enough funds and staff to implement the same.

The LPBA submits position papers to Congress in connection with pending bills related to the rule of law, legal education, litigation, justice system, human rights and other legal issues.

It had manifested its readiness to the City Council to attend its sessions or hearings on local legislation that affect the rule of law, justice system, human rights and other legal issues affecting the city. It has likewise offered to the City Council and the Mayor its willingness to serve in the Local Development Council as mandated by the Local Government Code. So far, no response has been given by the local officials on the said matter.

The association had recommended to the City Council and the Mayor to study the possibility of codifying all major city ordinances with penal, tax and other significant legal implications to the local populace and to explore the idea of expanding the city-funded Aguilar College into the Las Pinas City University with its own College of Law. So far, the local officials have not made any response thereto.

Atty. Manuel Laserna has made a public stand for the government to study the idea of privatizing the management of all national and local jails in the country as is being done in developed countries and for the Chief Justice to study the idea of withdrawing as a member of the Judicial, Executive and Legislative Advisory Council (JELAC) on the ground of ethics, political propriety, and conflict of interest.

In behalf of the association, Atty. Laserna has written law articles on various law topics in the student organ of the College of Law of the Univ. of Perpetual Help Rizal and in the nationally circulated Lawyers Review.

This year, upon request of RTC 200 Judge Bonifacio Maceda, Atty. Manuel Laserna, Atty. Myrna Mercader and Atty. Purita Fajilan are extending free legal advice to the National Association of Electric Consumers for Reform (Nasecore), headed by its president Mr. Pete Ilagan, who has initiated various legal actions against the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) for the protection of the electric consumers under existing laws and rules being administrated by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).

5. Website

The LPBA maintains a message board at http://groups.msn.com/laspinascitybarassociation. It contains law news and other latest law materials for the benefit of the members and the general public. It encourages active exchanges of legal information and commentaries among local and foreign lawyers. All members are encouraged to visit and join it and to post their materials and messages on its eBoard.

6. MCLE

The LPBA was the 23rd MCLE service provider that was duly accredited nationwide by the Supreme Committee on MCLE in 2001.

It has sponsored MCLE seminars, workshops, lectures, and dialogues or panel discussion from 2001 to 2006.

It had invited speakers from the local judiciary, the law academe, and from among its members.

Every board meeting, the board is provided with copies of the latest Supreme Court circulars, digests of recent Supreme Court decisions, and other recent law materials, for notation and discussion.

As a rule every other month, a law lecture is held by the association for the benefit of its members. It invites respected lecturers on the assigned law topics. It encourages its own members, many of whom are law professors, civil leaders, and business persons to serve as lecturers. Some of its members who have delivered such lectures were Atty. Manuel Laserna, Atty. Myrna Mercader, former chairman Atty. Dick Funk, former Pros. Hilda Clave, and former vice chairman Atty. Rolly Cayton.

Some local judges had likewise delivered law lectures to the members in the past, e.g. retired Exec. Judge Manuel Fernandez, RTC 255 Judge Raul Villanueva (incumbent president of the Las Pinas City Judges Association, vice president of the Philippine Judges Association, and a nominee to the Court of Appeals and the Judicial Excellence Award), RTC 199 Judge Joselito Vibandor (nominee to the Judicial Excellence Award and who recently opened the city jail library as his personal project), RTC 254 Judge Gloria Aglugub, and RTC 275 Judge Bonifacio Maceda (past Exec. Judge and past nominee to the Judicial Excellence Award).

Other local judges participated in the previous bench and bar dialogues of our city, which also served as MCLE seminars, e.g., RTC 200 Judge Leopoldo Baraquia (incumbent Exec. Judge and nominee to the Judicial Excellence Award), RTC 198 Judge Erlinda Alvaro (a nominee to the Judicial Excellence Award), MTC 79 Pres. Judge Marjorie Nolasco (who actively visits the city jail on a regular basis to conduct dialogues with the detention prisoners and declog the jail), and RTC 255 Judge Raul Villanueva.

Supreme Court Assoc. Justice Presbitero Velasco (former Court Administrator) visited the association and delivered a lecture during the 2005 bench and bar dialogue and MCLEgarden of Sen. Manuel Villar and Rep. Cynthia Villar at BF Resort Village, Las Pinas City. held at the

7. Free Legal Advice to Members

and Professional Networking Among Members

The LPBA provides collective pro bono legal advice to members who face pending cases in court or in other tribunals.

Where necessary, it issues public statements on points of law and procedure regarding pending cases against its members and other public issues affecting law and justice.

It also encourages continuing in-house professional networking and exchanges among the members to improve their respective law practice.

8. Socials

The LPBA sponsors Christmas parties and other socials for special occasions since 2001. It invites judges, prosecutors and representatives from the pillars of the local justice system to attend the same.

10. IBP Reforms

The LPBA has initiated a mass signature campaign in March 2007 to persuade the Supreme Court and the IBP National Board to introduce institutional reforms and amendments to Rule 139-A (“IBP”) and the IBP By-Laws, particularly with respect to the reorganization of local chapters in Metro Manila and Southern Luzon Region and the strengthening of the IBP House of Delegates as the voice of the lawyers. It is covered by Bar Matter 1696 which is still pending in the Supreme Court.

Atty. Manuel Laserna, in his capacity as a former delegate to the 2006 House of Delegates of the IBP, has suggested to the IBP national office various reforms in the programs and activities of the House to make it a more effective deliberative body representing the voice of the Filipino lawyers nationwide.

9. The Future

The LPBA created local history when it was formed in March 2001. It was the first time that the city had formally organized its local Bar.

We aspire to become an independent IBP city chapter.

The Supreme Court and the IBP appreciate the role of voluntary bar associations to help them in the delivery of its support services to lawyers and the general public.

Voluntary bar associations are partners of the local judiciary and of the other pillars of the local justice system in upholding the rule of law and in dispensing justice to the people.

They should be seen by local government officials as partners (not as adversaries) in local development and community empowerment.

Even as we strive to unify ourselves as a strong and professional voluntary local Bar association, we must aspire to self-police ourselves and to mutually assist each other to improve our professional knowledge and skills and elevate our ethical standards as independent-minded, courageous, competent and honest advocates of the law, truth, freedom and justice.

The people look up to us as their advisers, guides, models, and inspirations.

Let us not fail them.

Las Pinas City Bar Association (LPBA), Inc.

c/o Laserna Cueva-Mercader Law Offices

Unit 15, Star Arcade, C.V. Star Ave.

Philamlife Village, Las Pinas City

Tel/Fax 8742539, 8725443, 9064309

URL - http://groups.msn.com/laspinascitybarassociation

Email - lcmlaw@gmail.com



[1] Prepared by Atty. Manuel J. Laserna Jr., Convenor/Founder, Founding President, and Past Chairman of the LPBA. Assisted by Atty. Myrna C. Mercader, Co-Convenor/Co-Founder, Past President, and Past Chairperson.