Organizing the Committee on Ethics and Ethical Standards

July 27, 2010

SUPREME COURT MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. 35-10

ORGANIZING THE COMMITTEE ON ETHICS AND ETHICAL STANDARDS

WHEREAS, the people's trust in the courts lies at the heart of the courts' sovereign mandate and, therefore, public confidence in the judicial system and in the moral authority and integrity of the judiciary is essential in a democracy;

WHEREAS, the Philippine Supreme Court approved the Bangalore Draft (Universal Declaration of Judicial Standards) and, subsequently, adopted the New Code of Judicial Conduct for the Philippine Judiciary on April 27, 2004 to promote and enhance the integrity of the members of the judiciary;

WHEREAS, under Section 13, Rule 2 of the Internal Rules of the Supreme Court (Internal Rules), a permanent Committee on Ethics and Ethical Standards in the Supreme Court shall be established and chaired by the Chief Justice;

WHEREAS, under the Internal Rules, the Committee shall have the following membership: a working Vice-Chair appointed by the Chief Justice, three members chosen among themselves by the en banc by secret vote and a retired Supreme Court Justice chosen by the Chief Justice as a non-voting observer-consultant;

WHEREAS, the Chief Justice has called for the organization of the Committee and has chosen Justice Teresita J. Leonardo-De Castro as Working Vice Chairperson and Justice Jose C. Vitug (ret.) as observer-consultant, respectively;

WHEREAS, in the en banc session on July 27, 2010, the members of the Court have chosen by secret vote Justice Roberto A. Abad, Justice Jose Portugal Perez and Justice Jose Catral Mendoza as members of the Committee;

NOW, THEREFORE, the Committee on Ethics and Ethical Standards in the Supreme Court is hereby organized to be composed of the following:

Chairperson	:	Hon. Renato C. Corona
		Chief Justice
Working Vice-Chairperson	:	Hon. Teresita J. Leonardo-De Castro
		Associate Justice
Members	:	Hon. Roberto A. Abad
		Associate Justice
		Hon. Jose Portugal Perez
		Associate Justice
		Hon. Jose Catral Mendoza
		Associate Justice
Observer-Consultant:	:	Hon. Jose C. Vitug
Secretary	:	Atty. Jose Midas P. Marquez
Asst. Secretary	:	Atty. Ma. Luisa D. Villarama

The Vice-Chair, the Members and the retired Supreme Court Justice shall serve for a term of one year, with the election in the case of elected Members to be held at the call of the Chief Justice.

The Committee shall perform all the tasks delineated in the Internal Rules.

The Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Members, Secretary and Asst. Secretary shall each be entitled to the expense allowance prescribed in Administrative Circular No. 13-99 dated September 20, 1999.

This Memorandum Order shall take effect upon its issuance.

Issued this 27th day of July, 2010.

(SGD.) RENATO C. CORONAChief JusticeChairperson, First Division