Republic of the Philippines SUPREME COURT Manila EN BANC

The efo ., The measu e +as si&ne' b1 P esi'ent 9e 'inan' E. Ma cos on Septembe !$" !#$! an' too: effect on the same 'a1 as Rep. Act 0)#$. This la+ p o(i'es as follo+s; SECTION !. 6ithin t+o 1ea s f om the app o(al of this Act" the Sup eme Cou t ma1 a'opt ules of cou t to effect the inte& ation of the Philippine Ba un'e such con'itions as it shall see fit in o 'e to aise the stan'a 's of the le&al p ofession" imp o(e the a'minist ation of 7ustice" an' enable the Ba to 'ischa &e its public esponsibilit1 mo e effecti(el1. SEC. %. The sum of fi(e hun' e' thousan' pesos is he eb1 app op iate'" out of an1 fun's in the National T easu 1 not othe +ise app op iate'" to ca 1 out the pu poses of this Act. The eafte " such sums as ma1 be necessa 1 fo the same pu pose shall be inclu'e' in the annual app op iations fo the Sup eme Cou t. SEC. ). This Act shall ta:e effect upon its app o(al. The Report of the Commission aboun's +ith a &ument on the constitutionalit1 of Ba inte& ation an' contains all necessa 1 factual 'ata bea in& on the a'(isabilit1 <p acticabilit1 an' necessit1= of Ba inte& ation. Also embo'ie' the ein a e the (ie+s" opinions" sentiments" comments an' obse (ations of the an: an' file of the Philippine la+1e population elati(e to Ba inte& ation" as +ell as a p opose' inte& ation Cou t Rule ' afte' b1 the Commission an' p esente' to them b1 that bo'1 in a national Ba plebiscite. The e is thus sufficient basis as +ell as ample mate ial upon +hich the Cou t ma1 'eci'e +hethe o not to inte& ate the Philippine Ba at this time. The follo+in& a e the pe tinent issues; <!= Does the Cou t ha(e the po+e to inte& ate the Philippine Ba > <%= 6oul' the inte& ation of the Ba be constitutional>

January 9, 1973 IN THE MATTER OF THE INTEGRATION OF THE BAR OF THE PHILIPPINES. RESOLUTION

PER CURIAM: On Decembe !" !#$%" the Commission on Ba Inte& ation 1 submitte' its Repo t 'ate' No(embe )*" !#$%" +ith the ,ea nest ecommen'ation, - on the basis of the sai' Report an' the p ocee'in&s ha' in A'minist ati(e Case No. /%0 of the Cou t" an' ,consistentl1 +ith the (ie+s an' counsel ecei(e' f om its 2the Commission3s4 Boa ' of Consultants" as +ell as the o(e +helmin& nation+i'e sentiment of the Philippine Bench an' Ba , - that "this Honorable Court ordain the integration of the Philippine Bar as soon as possible through the adoption and promulgation of an appropriate Court Rule." The petition in A'm. Case No. /%0 fo mall1 p a1s the Cou t to o 'e the inte& ation of the Philippine Ba " afte 'ue hea in&" &i(in& eco&nition as fa as possible an' p acticable to e5istin& p o(incial an' othe local Ba associations. On Au&ust !0" !#0%" a &uments in fa(o of as +ell as in opposition to the petition +e e o all1 e5poun'e' befo e the Cou t. 6 itten oppositions +e e a'mitte'" 3 an' all pa ties +e e the eafte & ante' lea(e to file + itten memo an'a. ! Since then" the Cou t has closel1 obse (e' an' follo+e' si&nificant 'e(elopments elati(e to the matte of the inte& ation of the Ba in this 7u is'iction. In !#$*" con(ince' f om p elimina 1 su (e1s that the e ha' & o+n a st on& nation+i'e sentiment in fa(o of Ba inte& ation" the Cou t c eate' the Commission on Ba Inte& ation fo the pu pose of asce tainin& the a'(isabilit1 of unif1in& the Philippine Ba . In Septembe " !#$!" Con& ess passe' 8ouse Bill No. )%$$ entitle' ,An Act P o(i'in& fo the Inte& ation of the Philippine Ba " an' App op iatin& 9un's

<)= Shoul' the Cou t o 'ain the inte& ation of the Ba at this time> A esolution of these issues e?ui es" at the outset" a statement of the meanin& of Ba inte& ation. It +ill suffice" fo this pu pose" to a'opt the concept &i(en b1 the Commission on Ba Inte& ation on pa&es ) to / of its Report" thus; Inte& ation of the Philippine Ba means the official unification of the enti e la+1e population of the Philippines. This e?ui es membership an' financial support <in easonable amount=

of e(e 1 atto ne1 as con'itions sine qua non to the p actice of la+ an' the etention of his name in the Roll of Atto ne1s of the Sup eme Cou t. The te m ,Ba , efe s to the collecti(it1 of all pe sons +hose names appea in the Roll of Atto ne1s. An Inte& ate' Ba <o Unifie' Ba = pe fo ce must inclu'e all la+1e s. Complete unification is not possible unless it is 'ec ee' b1 an entit1 +ith po+e to 'o so; the State. Ba inte& ation" the efo e" si&nifies the settin& up b1 @o(e nment autho it1 of a national o &aniAation of the le&al p ofession base' on the eco&nition of the la+1e as an office of the cou t. Desi&ne' to imp o(e the position of the Ba as an inst umentalit1 of 7ustice an' the Rule of La+" inte& ation foste s cohesion amon& la+1e s" an' ensu es" th ou&h thei o+n o &aniAe' action an' pa ticipation" the p omotion of the ob7ecti(es of the le&al p ofession" pu suant to the p inciple of ma5imum Ba autonom1 +ith minimum supe (ision an' e&ulation b1 the Sup eme Cou t. The pu poses of an inte& ate' Ba " in &ene al" a e; <!= Assist in the a'minist ation of 7usticeB <%= 9oste an' maintain on the pa t of its membe s hi&h i'eals of inte& it1" lea nin&" p ofessional competence" public se (ice an' con'uctB <)= Safe&ua ' the p ofessional inte ests of its membe sB <C= Culti(ate amon& its membe s a spi it of co 'ialit1 an' b othe hoo'B </= P o(i'e a fo um fo the 'iscussion of la+" 7u isp u'ence" la+ efo m" plea'in&" p actice an' p oce'u e" an' the elations of the Ba to the Bench an' to the public" an' publish info mation elatin& the etoB <0= Encou a&e an' foste le&al e'ucationB <$= P omote a continuin& p o& am of le&al esea ch in substanti(e an' a'7ecti(e la+" an' ma:e epo ts an' ecommen'ations the eonB an'

<D= Enable the Ba to 'ischa &e its public esponsibilit1 effecti(el1. Inte& ation of the Ba +ill" amon& othe thin&s" ma:e it possible fo the le&al p ofession to; <!= Ren'e mo e effecti(e assistance in maintainin& the Rule of La+B <%= P otect la+1e s an' liti&ants a&ainst the abuse of t1 annical 7u'&es an' p osecutin& office sB <)= Discha &e" full1 an' p ope l1" its esponsibilit1 in the 'isciplinin& an'Eo emo(al of incompetent an' un+o th1 7u'&es an' p osecutin& office sB <C= Shiel' the 7u'icia 1" +hich t a'itionall1 cannot 'efen' itself e5cept +ithin its o+n fo um" f om the assaults that politics an' selfF inte est ma1 le(el at it" an' assist it to maintain its inte& it1" impa tialit1 an' in'epen'enceB </= 8a(e an effecti(e (oice in the selection of 7u'&es an' p osecutin& office sB <0= P e(ent the unautho iAe' p actice of la+" an' b ea: up an1 monopol1 of local p actice maintaine' th ou&h influence o positionB <$= Establish +elfa e fun's fo families of 'isable' an' 'ecease' la+1e sB <D= P o(i'e placement se (ices" an' establish le&al ai' offices an' set up la+1e efe ence se (ices th ou&hout the count 1 so that the poo ma1 not lac: competent le&al se (iceB <#= Dist ibute e'ucational an' info mational mate ials that a e 'ifficult to obtain in man1 of ou p o(incesB <!*= De(ise an' maintain a p o& am of continuin& le&al e'ucation fo p actisin& atto ne1s in o 'e to ele(ate the stan'a 's of the p ofession th ou&hout the count 1B <!!= Enfo ce i&i' ethical stan'a 's" an' p omul&ate minimum fees sche'ulesB

<!%= C eate la+ cente s an' establish la+ lib a ies fo esea chB

le&al

<!)= Con'uct campai&ns to e'ucate the people on thei le&al i&hts an' obli&ations" on the impo tance of p e(enti(e le&al a'(ice" an' on the functions an' 'uties of the 9ilipino la+1e B an' <!C= @ene ate an' maintain pe (asi(e an' meanin&ful count 1F +i'e in(ol(ement of the la+1e population in the solution of the multifa ious p oblems that afflict the nation. Anent the first issue" the Cou t is of the (ie+ that it ma1 inte& ate the Philippine Ba in the e5e cise of its po+e " un'e A ticle GIII" Sec. !) of the Constitution" ,to p omul&ate ules conce nin& plea'in&" p actice" an' p oce'u e in all cou ts" an' the a'mission to the p actice of la+., In'ee'" the po+e to inte& ate is an inhe ent pa t of the Cou t3s constitutional autho it1 o(e the Ba . In p o(i'in& that ,the Sup eme Cou t ma1 a'opt ules of cou t to effect the inte& ation of the Philippine Ba ", Republic Act 0)#$ neithe confe s a ne+ po+e no est icts the Cou t3s inhe ent po+e " but is a me e le&islati(e 'ecla ation that the inte& ation of the Ba +ill p omote public inte est o " mo e specificall1" +ill , aise the stan'a 's of the le&al p ofession" imp o(e the a'minist ation of 7ustice" an' enable the Ba to 'ischa &e its public esponsibilit1 mo e effecti(el1., Resolution of the second issue - +hethe the unification of the Ba +oul' be constitutional - hin&es on the effects of Ba inte& ation on the la+1e 3s constitutional i&hts of f ee'om of association an' f ee'om of speech" an' on the natu e of the 'ues e5acte' f om him. The Cou t app o(in&l1 ?uotes the follo+in& pe tinent 'iscussion ma'e b1 the Commission on Ba Inte& ation pa&es CC to C# of its Repo t; Constitutionality of Bar Integration Judicial Pronouncements. In all cases +he e the (ali'it1 of Ba inte& ation measu es has been put in issue" the Cou ts ha(e uphel' thei constitutionalit1. The 7u'icial p onouncements suppo t this easonin&; - Cou ts ha(e inhe ent po+e to supe (ise an' e&ulate the p actice of la+.

- The p actice of la+ is not a (este' i&ht but a p i(ile&eB a p i(ile&e" mo eo(e " clothe' +ith public inte est" because a la+1e o+es 'uties not onl1 to his client" but also to his b eth en in the p ofession" to the cou ts" an' to the nationB an' ta:es pa t in one of the most impo tant functions of the State" the a'minist ation of 7ustice" as an office of the cou t. - Because the p actice of la+ is p i(ile&e clothe' +ith public inte est" it is fa an' 7ust that the e5e cise of that p i(ile&e be e&ulate' to assu e compliance +ith the la+1e 3s public esponsibilities. - These public esponsibilities can best be 'ischa &e' th ou&h collecti(e actionB but the e can be no collecti(e action +ithout an o &aniAe' bo'1B no o &aniAe' bo'1 can ope ate effecti(el1 +ithout incu in& e5pensesB the efo e" it is fai an' 7ust that all atto ne1s be e?ui e' to cont ibute to the suppo t of such o &aniAe' bo'1B an'" &i(en e5istin& Ba con'itions" the most efficient means of 'oin& so is b1 inte& atin& the Ba th ou&h a ule of cou t that e?ui es all la+1e s to pa1 annual 'ues to the Inte& ate' Ba . !. Freedom of ssociation. To compel a la+1e to be a membe of an inte& ate' Ba is not (iolati(e of his constitutional f ee'om to associate <o the co olla 1 i&ht not to associate=. Inte& ation 'oes not ma:e a la+1e a membe of an1 & oup of +hich he is not al ea'1 a membe . 8e became a membe of the Ba +hen he passe' the Ba e5aminations. All that inte& ation actuall1 'oes is to p o(i'e an official national o &aniAation fo the +ellF'efine' but uno &aniAe' an' incohesi(e & oup of +hich e(e 1 la+1e is al ea'1 a membe . Ba inte& ation 'oes not compel the la+1e to associate +ith an1one. 8e is f ee to atten' o not atten' the meetin&s of his Inte& ate' Ba Chapte o (ote o efuse to (ote in its elections as he chooses. The bo'1 compulsion to +hich he is sub7ecte' is the pa1ment of annual 'ues. Othe +ise state'" membe ship in the Unifie' Ba imposes onl1 the 'ut1 to pa1 'ues in easonable amount. The issue the efo e" is a ?uestion of compelle' financial suppo t of & oup acti(ities" not in(olunta 1 membe ship in an1 othe aspect.

The & eate pa t of Unifie' Ba acti(ities se (es the function of ele(atin& the e'ucational an' ethical stan'a 's of the Ba to the en' of imp o(in& the ?ualit1 of the le&al se (ice a(ailable to the people. The Sup eme Cou t" in o 'e to fu the the State3s le&itimate inte est in ele(atin& the ?ualit1 of p ofessional se (ices" ma1 e?ui e that the cost of imp o(in& the p ofession in this fashion be sha e' b1 the sub7ects an' beneficia ies of the e&ulato 1 p o& am - the la+1e s. Assumin& that Ba inte& ation 'oes compel a la+1e to be a membe of the Inte& ate' Ba " such compulsion is 7ustifie' as an e5e cise of the police po+e of the State. The le&al p ofession has lon& been e&a 'e' as a p ope sub7ect of le&islati(e e&ulation an' cont ol. Mo eo(e " the inhe ent po+e of the Sup eme Cou t to e&ulate the Ba inclu'es the autho it1 to inte& ate the Ba . %. Regulatory Fee. 9o the Cou t to p esc ibe 'ues to be pai' b1 the membe s 'oes not mean that the Cou t le(ies a ta5. A membe ship fee in the Inte& ate' Ba is an e5action fo e&ulation" +hile the pu pose of a ta5 is e(enue. If the Cou t has inhe ent po+e to e&ulate the Ba " it follo+s that as an inci'ent to e&ulation" it ma1 impose a membe ship fee fo that pu pose. It +oul' not be possible to push th ou&h an Inte& ate' Ba p o& am +ithout means to 'ef a1 the concomitant e5penses. The 'oct ine of implie' po+e s necessa il1 inclu'es the po+e to impose such an e5action. The onl1 limitation upon the State3s po+e to e&ulate the Ba is that the e&ulation 'oes not impose an unconstitutional bu 'en. The public inte est p omote' b1 the inte& ation of the Ba fa out+ei&hs the inconse?uential incon(enience to a membe that mi&ht esult f om his e?ui e' pa1ment of annual 'ues. ). Freedom of !peech. A la+1e is f ee" as he has al+a1s been" to (oice his (ie+s on an1 sub7ect in an1 manne he +ishes" e(en thou&h such (ie+s be oppose' to positions ta:en b1 the Unifie' Ba . 9o the Inte& ate' Ba to use a membe 3s 'ue to p omote measu es to +hich sai' membe is oppose'" +oul' not nullif1 o a'(e sel1 affect his f ee'om of speech.

Since a State ma1 constitutionall1 con'ition the i&ht to p actice la+ upon membe ship in the Inte& ate' Ba " it is 'ifficult to un'e stan' +h1 it shoul' become unconstitutional fo the Ba to use the membe 3s 'ues to fulfill the (e 1 pu poses fo +hich it +as establishe'. The ob7ection +oul' ma:e e(e 1 @o(e nmental e5action the mate ial of a ,f ee speech, issue. E(en the income ta5 +oul' be suspect. The ob7ection +oul' ca 1 us to len&ths that ha(e ne(e been ' eame' of. The conscientious ob7ecto " if his libe ties +e e to be thus e5ten'e'" mi&ht efuse to cont ibute ta5es in fu the ance of +a o of an1 othe en' con'emne' b1 his conscience as i eli&ious o immo al. The i&ht of p i(ate 7u'&ment has ne(e 1et been e5alte' abo(e the po+e s an' the compulsion of the a&encies of @o(e nment. C. Fair to ll "a#yers. Ba inte& ation is not unfai to la+1e s al ea'1 p actisin& because althou&h the e?ui ement to pa1 annual 'ues is a ne+ e&ulation" it +ill &i(e the membe s of the Ba a ne+ s1stem +hich the1 hithe to ha(e not ha' an' th ou&h +hich" b1 p ope +o :" the1 +ill ecei(e benefits the1 ha(e not he etofo e en7o1e'" an' 'ischa &e thei public esponsibilities in a mo e effecti(e manne than the1 ha(e been able to 'o in the past. Because the e?ui ement to pa1 'ues is a (ali' e5e cise of e&ulato 1 po+e b1 the Cou t" because it +ill appl1 e?uall1 to all la+1e s" 1oun& an' ol'" at the time Ba inte& ation ta:es effect" an' because it is a ne+ e&ulation in e5chan&e fo ne+ benefits" it is not et oacti(e" it is not une?ual" it is not unfai . To esol(e the third and final issue - +hethe the Cou t shoul' o 'ain the inte& ation of the Ba at this time - e?ui es a ca eful o(e (ie+ of the p acticabilit1 an' necessit1 as +ell as the a'(anta&es an' 'isa'(anta&es of Ba inte& ation. In man1 othe 7u is'ictions" notabl1 in En&lan'" Cana'a an' the Unite' States" Ba inte& ation has 1iel'e' the follo+in& benefits; <!= imp o(e' 'iscipline amon& the membe s of the Ba B <%= & eate influence an' ascen'anc1 of the Ba B <)= bette an' mo e meanin&ful pa ticipation of the in'i(i'ual la+1e in the acti(ities of the Inte& ate' Ba B <C= & eate Ba facilities an' se (icesB </= elimination of unautho iAe' p acticeB <0= a(oi'ance of costl1 membe ship campai&nsB <$= establishment of an official status fo the Ba B <D= mo e cohesi(e p ofessionB an' <#= bette an' mo e effecti(e 'ischa &e b1 the Ba of its obli&ations an' esponsibilities to its membe s" to the cou ts" an' to the public. No less than these saluta 1 conse?uences a e en(isione' an' in fact e5pecte' f om the unification of the Philippine Ba .

Upon the othe han'" it has been (a iousl1 a &ue' that in the e(ent of inte& ation" @o(e nment autho it1 +ill 'ominate the Ba B local Ba associations +ill be +ea:ene'B cli?uism +ill be the ine(itable esultB effecti(e lobb1in& +ill not be possibleB the Ba +ill become an impe sonal Ba B an' politics +ill int u'e into its affai s. It is note+o th1" ho+e(e " that these an' othe e(ils p ophesie' b1 opponents of Ba inte& ation ha(e faile' to mate ialiAe in o(e fift1 1ea s of Ba inte& ation e5pe ience in En&lan'" Cana'a an' the Unite' States. In all the 7u is'ictions +he e the Inte& ate' Ba has been t ie'" none of the abuses o e(ils fea e' has a isenB on the othe han'" it has esto e' public confi'ence in the Ba " enla &e' p ofessional consciousness" ene &iAe' the Ba 3s esponsibilities to the public" an' (astl1 imp o(e' the a'minist ation of 7ustice. 8o+ 'o the 9ilipino la+1e s themsel(es e&a ' Ba inte& ation> The official statistics compile' b1 the Commission on Ba inte& ation sho+ that in the national poll ecentl1 con'ucte' b1 the Commission in the matte of the inte& ation of the Philippine Ba " of a total of !/"*#* la+1e s f om all o(e the a chipela&o +ho ha(e tu ne' in thei in'i(i'ual esponses" !C"/// <o #0.C/ pe cent= (ote' in fa(o of Ba inte& ation" +hile onl1 )$D <o %./! pe cent= (ote' a&ainst it" an' !/$ <o !.*C pe cent= a e nonF commital. In a''ition" a total of ei&ht1 <D*= local Ba association an' la+1e s3 & oups all o(e the Philippines ha(e submitte' esolutions an' othe e5p essions of un?ualifie' en'o sement an'Eo suppo t fo Ba inte& ation" +hile not a sin&le local Ba association o la+1e s3 & oup has e5p esse' oppose' position the eto. 9inall1" of the !)"D*% in'i(i'ual la+1e s +ho cast thei plebiscite ballots on the p opose' inte& ation Cou t Rule ' afte' b1 the Commission" !%"D// <o #).!C pe cent= (ote' in fa(o the eof" 00% <o C.D* pe cent= (ote a&ainst it" an' %D/ <o %.*0 pe cent= a e nonFcommittal. " All these clea l1 in'icate an o(e +helmin& nation+i'e 'eman' fo Ba inte& ation at this time. The Cou t is full1 con(ince'" afte a tho ou&h&oin& conscientious stu'1 of all the a &uments a''uce' in A'm. Case No. /%0 an' the autho itati(e mate ials an' the mass of factual 'ata containe' in the e5hausti(e Report of the Commission on Ba Inte& ation" that the inte& ation of the Philippine Ba is ,pe fectl1 constitutional an' le&all1 unob7ectionable", +ithin the conte5t of contempo a 1 con'itions in the Philippines" has become an impe ati(e means to aise the stan'a 's of the le&al p ofession" imp o(e the a'minist ation of 7ustice" an' enable the Ba to 'ischa &e its public esponsibilit1 full1 an' effecti(el1. ACCORDIN@LH" the Cou t" b1 (i tue of the po+e (este' in it b1 Section !) of A ticle GIII of the Constitution" he eb1 o 'ains the inte& ation of the Ba of the Philippines in acco 'ance +ith the attache' COURT RULE" effecti(e on Ianua 1 !0" !#$). Concepcion$ C.J.$ %a&alintal$ 'aldi(ar$ Castillo$ Fernando$ )eehan&ee$ Barredo$ %a&asiar$ ntonio and *sguerra$ JJ.$ concur.