Leonen to new lawyers: Don't pawn your souls for selfish interests

Associate Justice Marvic Leonen on Monday rallied new lawyers to always put the people's interest above self, and seek truth and justice in the pursuit of their profession.

Speaking at the oath taking of 8,241 Bar passers in the Mall of Asia Arena, the   2020-2021 Bar Exam chairperson noted that most Filipinos still belong to the marginalized sectors of the society. 

“Hanggang ngayon tatsulok ang hugis ng ating lipunan. Ang nakararami ay nasa ibaba. Dito natin makikita ang mga ginugutom, pinapalaboy, ang pinagsamantalahan, pinahihirapan ng mga sistema ng ating lipunan at ang mga talamak sa kanilang kapangyarihan,” Leonen said.

“Gamitin ang mga titulong ginawad sa inyo. Maging kabahagi ng mapagpalayang kasaysayan. Huwag isangla ang inyong kaluluwa sa mga pansariling bagay. Huwag maging kasangkapan ng mapang-api. Makiramay sa nakararami. Bigyang lakas ang kanilang boses, maging katuwang ng nakararaming naghihikahos sa ilalim ng tatsulok at laylayan ng ating lipunan,” he stressed.

He reminded the new lawyers that as they serve the marginalized, they should believe in their capabilities to defend themselves against abuses and oppression.

“Ngunit habang pinaglilingkuran natin ang ating sambayanan, huwag din natin maliitin ang kakayahan ng maliit na tao. Huwag magkamaling maliitin ang kakayahan nilang bumangon at ipagtanggol ang kanilang sarili sa harap ng pang-aabuso at pang-aapi ng mga nagkukunwaring naghaharing-uri,” Leonen said.

Moreover, the Associate Justice urged new lawyers to be the beacon of justice, honor, and excellence.

Senior Associate Justice Estela Perlas Bernabe, meanwhile, affirmed Leonen’s remarks, saying that the Bar passers must exercise their obligation with fairness, truth, and justice.

“If you allow this truth to be the overarching consideration for every career decision you will ever make, you will never find yourself in a quandary,” Perlas-Bernabe said in her speech.

Perlas-Bernabe went on sharing her principles to the new lawyers – to build an unrelenting work ethic and strive for excellence, never be complacent and push for necessary change, and never compromise integrity.

She also asked the Bar passers to use their skills and work together to find solutions to improve the country’s legal system in this digital age.

“It has been said that the only way to predict the future is to create it. The landscape of legal profession is changing on a global scale to make the justice system more accessible, affordable and efficient,” Perlas-Bernabe said.

“Hence, I ask you to be movers of digital transformation and collaborate with your peers to fast track the attainment of a more just society through the use of new technologies,” she added.

The Supreme Court earlier announced that a total of 8,241 of the 11,402 who took and completed the 2020-21 Bar examinations have passed.  These passers earned a grade of 75 percent and above.

Of the 11,790 admitted to take the exam, 11,402 completed the examinations. Only 3.9 percent were unable to take or finish the bar exams.  

According to Leonen, the 8,241 Bar passers translate to a passing rate of 72.28 percent.—LDF, GMA News