TRANSCRIPT FROM THE INTERVIEW OF

ATTY. PLACIDO R. ALCOMENDRAS III

Q: How many years na po kayo in private practice?

A: Dugay na. Since 2001.

Q: Prior to that sir, diretso po kayo private practice or sa government muna po?

A: After I passed the bar in 1999, I was engaged to help the province of
compostela valley as the acting provincial administrator and then on 2001, I
resigned. Then I was called back again at 2002 up to 2007. I became the first
provincial legal officer of the Davao de Oro province. After 2007, I focused on my
private practice.

Q: Para po sa inyo sir. Saan mas madali in terms of finances, sa private practice or
sa government?

A: In terms of security, it’s better to work in the government because you are
secured financially. However, there are also some considerations to look into if you
are really called to practice in a private capacity. You may find some joy also
regardless of money. Whether there is money or not, as long as you find joy in your
legal practice then money will just be around or come around although its difficult
financially. So much so that you have to maintain an office, you have to pay the
bills, you have to take care of the allowances of your staff. But somehow if you just
be honest with your practice, those bills will be paid eventually.

Q: Sa first 10 years, gaano kahirap pag private practice?

A: In terms of the practice of law and court appearances and in terms of

counselling, it’s very difficult because you have to review the law, know the
procedures of the court and then know the intricacies of the legal practice works. At
the same time, you have to establish your office, you have to buy tables, chairs,
and computers and then you want to also give legal advices and services to your
clients. At the same time, you also have to know the different intricacies of each
court because each judge has its own specialization. It has its own favorite
procedures, although they are all within the rules of court, but we can still find that
there are judges that favor this kind of procedure and the other does not. So, you
have to learn to adapt to the situation but they are all within the purview of the
law.

Q: In terms sa private practice po, mas maganda po ba kung maraming retainer or

more on walk in na client?

A: Yes. That’s the thing that you have to decide because having many retainers
assure you of your income. However, there will be a lot of documents to sign if you
retainers are lending institutions, banks, cooperatives and were as, you have less
retainers, more walk in, there will be less papers but in terms of income, it is not so
assured. However, as you go along, in your law practice, you have also to choose
you retaining clients as legal counsel because there might be a clash or a conflict of
values. So, at first it’s very difficult to determine the values of your clients if it is
aligned with your own values and the values of the legal community of the
Philippines or of the law. You have to make a balance or reflection if do you really
need to engage by that particular clients and sometimes, it runs counter to your
values.
For example, I have been retained by big companies before. Then somehow the pay
is very good. But when it comes to conflicts arising from its employees, the
workers, the labor, somehow, you might feel sympathy for the workers and when
the client requested you to do something about them and you will perform the
request of your clients then after executing it you feel somehow guilty not because
you are not performing the desire of your clients but it affects the lives of the
workers of the clients. So, you have to make your own values whether you are pro-
capitalist or you are pro-laborer. It’s very difficult somehow to maintain the
relationships between employees and the employer. It’s good if they are maintained
well but somehow, there will be clashes along the way. When there are clashes, you
might feel for the workers. In order to avoid that situation, I declined to accept big
retaining corporations. I only accept right now small ones but not those big ones
because in several occasions before, it is very difficult really because you have to
decide whether to pursue this kind of actions against the workers and then you will
always follow the sentiments of your own clients. If you have preferential option for
the poor, it’s really difficult to be engaged in that legal service agreements of big
corporations.

Q: So mostly sir, pag private practice, may conflict palagi kung malaking income or
ang values nya?

A: Yes. You will always come to that point. You have to choose.

Q: Para sa inyo sir, saan po ang mas pinili nyo in the long run? Mas pinili nyo po
yung values?

A: Lawyers have taken an oath. So I preferred to observe the oath that I have
taken. Iwas disbar. Hahaha. The lawyer’s oath is really very good. It has an option
towards the poor.

Q: When did you realize that you are earning decently as a lawyer?

A: No, I am not earning decently as a lawyer. Hahaha. But we can somehow make
both ends meet. We are not forsaken by God. Above water but if you desire to save
money for you to travel around the world, it’s very difficult. But if the money that
you need is for you to have a decent life, just the bare minimum. Then, lawyering
can provide that money for you. But if your desire is to go abroad, visit this
country, acquire properties, then private lawyering might not be your field or you
can be retaining for big companies.

Q: But it will compromise your values at the end?

A: No, I will not say it as a compromise. It is your own values. It is where you are
happy. In my case, I just find joy in giving preference to the poor. It’s not bad or
good. It’s neither good nor evil. It’s just your joy. How will you find joy in your life.
Inner satisfaction or contentment. If you are contented with your practice, then you
have to maintain that because that is the source or your joy. Less stressed unlike if
you have to serve, chasing for this convenience, chasing for more security, then
you will have a lot of stress. But if you choose to keep a low profile, keep it in the
bare minimum, then you will find that your life is also enjoyable for you. It all
depends on your set of values but those values are neither good nor bad. It
depends on how you relate with other people. I am not seeing it as black and white.
If you see things as black and white, you will be confused because there will always
be black and white. And if you choose either black or white, then you will confused
because there will always be black if you choose white and vice versa. It’s very
difficult to have a strong conviction on each side. However, if you just see it as it is,
taking it as neither good nor bad, the important thing here is whether or not you
are building relationships or destroying relationships. Lawyers should build
relationships and should not destroy it. Somehow, it is very difficult to go to court
because you will be destroying relationships. It is adversarial but I find it that
lawyers should assist in building relationships, in repairing it rather than destroying
it because what makes us sad is a relationship destroyed and what makes us happy
is a relationship reconciled. So, that is my struggle and my goal is to build more
relationships and as much as possible, avoid destroying it. Avoid going to court with
the aim of destroying relationships, you have to go to court with the hope that you
can repair relationships.