Committee on Ethics and Ethical Standards

August 2, 2010

GUIDELINES FOR INVESTIGATION

COMMITTEE ON ETHICS AND ETHICAL STANDARDS

Pursuant to Rule 2, Section 13 of The Internal Rules of the Supreme Court creating a Committee on Ethics and Ethical Standards and Memorandum Order No. 35-2010 dated July 27, 2010, Organizing the Committee on Ethics and Ethical Standards (the Ethics Committee), the following Guidelines for Investigation shall be observed by the Ethics Committee in the performance of its tasks:

GUIDELINES FOR INVESTIGATION

1. The Ethics Committee shall take cognizance only of cases or administrative matters referred to it by the Court En Banc.

2. The proceedings before the Ethics Committee shall be confidential in nature.

3. The Ethics Committee may require the submission of such verified pleadings, affidavits, or statements, as it may deem necessary.

4. The Ethics Committee may call interested parties or their witnesses to appear before it in order to provide statements or to answer clarificatory questions.

5. The applicable requirements of due process shall be observed in the proceedings of the Ethics Committee.

6. A record of the proceedings of the Ethics Committee shall be kept in the custody of the Clerk of Court.

7. The Ethics Committee shall, upon completion of its investigation and after its due deliberation, submit its findings and recommendations to the Court En Banc for the latter's final disposition of the case. HIAEaC

8. The Rules of Court shall apply suppletorily as may be deemed appropriate by the Ethics Committee.

Adopted this 2nd day of August 2010 in the City of Manila, Philippines.

BY ORDER OF THE COMMITTEE ON ETHICS AND ETHICAL STANDARDS:

RENATO C. CORONAChief Justice

TERESITA J. LEONARDO-DE CASTROVice-Chairperson

ROBERTO A. ABADMember

JOSE PORTUGAL PEREZMember

JOSE CATRAL MENDOZAMember

Noted by:

JUSTICE JOSE C. VITUGObserver-Consultant