Rule 5.04 of the Canons of Judicial Ethics say judges shall not accept a gift or favor from anyone. My humble submission is that wealthy and powerful CJ Rene may not accept free legal services from lawyers as these comprise a gift or favor. Utang na loob to be repaid. No lawyer is helping Rene for free just because he is such a nice guy. He or his firm may have cases and association with the CJ would not harm at this point. Amor con amor se paga.
In the US, Prezs subjected to impeachment had to retain pricey lawyers billing by the hour. Here, lawyers may not even bill lower than their ordinary charges lest the discount be seen as a verboten gift or favor to be repaid in kind, we can say - in the classroom where idealism is alive.
Pro bono lawyers may know that many of the poor Rene looks down on (“mga walang ngipin, walang salawal,” the mata-pobre lawyer said in April 2001 of the masa at Edsa) need free competent legal service but no publicity and no judicial favor either in helping the indigent with service of the purer kind. The Supreme Court (SC) requires so many hours of free legal service; odd if the lawyers would submit as compliance the aid given to Rene whose lack of delicadeza was shown by his acceptance of a midnight appointment, from a caretaker usurper, causing so much trouble and controversy.
Rene vows only death can make him give up his position. Talagang morir antes de dimitir. Death before resignation. Kapit tuko o bayawak. Nothing like Lord Coke’s “I’ll do what becomes me a judge,” consistent with a reading of public interest over personal. Yet, impeachment is political.
I’m not a thief, said Rene. I’m not a crook, said Nixon, who, with Clinton ran up huge legal bills.
"— Rene Saguisag, January 27, 2012
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