Wikipedia says the term pro bono comes from Pro bono public which means for the public good. It is a Latin phrase generally used to describe professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment or at a reduced fee as a public service.
It’s human nature to want to get something for nothing. The trait cuts across economic classes. That’s why senior citizens in Makati, rich or poor, love former Mayor Jojo Binay for giving them a lot of freebies including free movies.
In fact in many cases, it has become a status symbol because it means you know somebody important who gave you a free ticket.
I remember a shipping company manager complaining of politicians and influential personalities who were fond of asking for free tickets when they can very well afford them.
Members are media are used to being given freebies that in some cases they demand for them. I cringe every time I hear radio reporters asking sources, even jokingly, for free merienda or gifts. Can’t you buy your own merienda?
Although some of those freebies are really given without any string attached, we all know that in our Filipino culture of utang-na-loob, it complicates some issues.
Just like in the case of members of the defense panel led by retired Supreme Court associate justice Serafin Cuevas acting as lawyer of Corona pro bono.
Former Sen. Rene Saguisag raised it in a media forum and Rep. Rudy Fariñas said it in the impeachment court.
Saguisag said, “Under Rule 504 of the Code of Judicial Conduct, a judge or any member of his family shall not accept ay gift or favor.”
How Fariñas raised it in the impeachment court is the undoing of Cuevas himself.
Cuevas commented about the prosecution’s manifestation of additional private prosecutors that would be coming in to assist Fariñas who would be one of the prosecutors in Article 3 of the charges against Corona which accuses the Chief Justice of having “committed culpable violations of the Constitution and betrayed the public trust by failing to meet and observe the stringent standards under Art.VIII, section 7 of the Constitution…”
Cuevas said, “With this avalanche of private prosecutors, there may be a necessity of an additional P10 million appropriation to take care of them.”
“That’s our money. That’s the money of the taxpayer,Your Honor,” Cuevas pontificated.
That gave an opening for Fariñas, who was speaking for the first time in the impeachment trial to point out the ethical issue in Corona accepting free legal assistance from Cuevas. ““Because they are giving their gift, their services, for free to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines and they come from big law firms and have pending cases before the Supreme Court,” he said.
In what appears to be a backhanded compliment, the Ilocos Norte (1st district) representative said, “That his lawyers are known to be very competent and charge high rates (de campanilla), yet they give their services for free, this situation could be detrimental to the independence of the Chief Justice.”
“What we are saying is that it is illegal for a public official to accept gifts of great material value,” he added.
Corona, with his millions, could very well afford to pay the fees of his legal team. But he himself stressed that his de campanilla lawyers were giving their services for free. Maybe he didn’t think of the ethical implications.
That’s a reflection of his sense of ethics.
Kahit anong sabihin ni Corona at Marquez at ng kanyang abodago, walang naniniwala na nagrerepresent sila kay COrona ng pro bono. Maaring walang bayad (muna) pero tiyak na tiyak na may kapalit.
Ang pwedeng wala ngang bayad ay si Atty. Salvador at ka brod nya si Corona sa Ateneo at si Atty. Lichauco dahil classmate sya ni Midas Marquez sa law school
There’s no such thing as free lunch.
Absolutely agree, may ethical implications ang pro bono daw na serbisyo ng mga abugado.
Buti na lang nagsalita ang idol kong Rene Saguisag at sumaklolo sa prosecution si Farinas. Well said Rep. Farinas, nadale mo si Cuevas who’s lording the trial and feels invulnerable.
“In what appears to be a backhanded compliment, the Ilocos Norte (1st district) representative said, “That his lawyers are known to be very competent and charge high rates (de campanilla), yet they give their services for free, this situation could be detrimental to the independence of the Chief Justice.””
Bullseye! Bentado ni Corona ang SC.
Member of the defense team Karen Jimeno in her answer to former Sen. Saguisag …said that their team’s lawyers, even if asked one by one, would say that they were defending Corona not because of his position as chief magistrate but in order to protect the integrity of the Supreme Court. Based on this line of argument, by depending Corona they are depending the Supreme Court.
Pero pagdating sa botohan sa kaso ni Gloria eh isang boto lang daw naman si Corona at hindi sya ang Supreme Court. Kakalito yata ito ah.
Anong ginagawa ng pera ng mga Arroyo?
Wala ng libre ngayon. Wala na ngayon tao na handang magsakripisyo ng walang kapalit.
Kahit nga sa paggamit ng bawal na gamot dapat may share din kung gagamit na lalo na kung shabu dahil masyado ng mahal ang shabu. Ang 150 pesos noon ay ngayon 1,000 pesos na.
I scratch your back, you scratch mine.
ang LAGAY ba naman, ganu’n na lang?
libre?
bakit sa merong sangkaterbang tinagong ‘yamang hindi gustong ipakalkal?
bakit hindi doon sa mga pobreng napagbintangan lamang o ‘yung mga naging biktima ng pagmamalabis ng mayayamang parang sila ang tanging may karapatang magtamasa ng proteksiyon ng batas?
Corona has a sense of entitlement/ownership of the Supreme Court.
” Pro Bono” ? .. Ang mga Arroyo ang nagbabayad sa kanila,
Don’t know about you, people. I also had the same feeling at the start: if I were a lawyer and I had the same stature as anyone like Cuevas, I would have offered my services too pro bono. I am offended by the self-righteousness of this Yellow bunch. Saan ba nagsimula yan? Hindi ba sa TRO? Komo appointed ni Goyang si Corona, siya ang me sala. Isa lang siya sa ilan. Sus, e, ang TRO, sa Hold Departure Order. Bakit nga ba kasi me HDO e wala pang napipilang kaso. Ptangnang magdadalawang taon nang Presidente si Noynoy wala pang kaso, sinong sisisihin mo, si Pilato?! Andyan ang Conscience of the Filipino people (according to PDI) presscon dito presscon diyan, eighteen months as DOJ sec, anong ginawa? Si Lacson at Escudero, nagtanong, Secretary de Lima, bakit wala pang naikakaso ke GMA e mahigit isang taon na. Sagot, kasi naninigurado tayo. Nakalimutan natin, tao rin yan ni Goyang nuon. Tas biglang naisipan ni Goyang, tamangtama me rason na para umalis. Ipit si Conscience. Paano ito? Baka hindi na bumalik, sira ang aking napipintong Senatorial ambition. Bahala na susuwagin ko na lang SC, sikat pa ako. Hindi nga ba siya ang sikat? Sino ang sinisi? si Corona! Hahaha. Kakatuwa din ano?
Ano ang unang reklamo ke Corona? Partiality to GMA.
Ano ang binagsakan? Unexplained wealth.
It could yet be his undoing. The revelations about his PSBank accounts are damaging…
He was, by the way, the one who wrote the defining decision about Marcos’ hidden wealth. Poetic justice, Bongbong must be saying. But Bongbong will vote for his acquittal.
Funny turn of events, is it not?
ang problema diyan, nasimulan na, hahaha Tupas et al one of these days it will be your turn.
But the Hacienda will stay on…
There is no such thing as free especially from a lawyer…Cuevas will be declaring this “free” services as gifts and either way it will be taxable on him (by being and income-expense=o tax for the lawyers. otherwise it will be considered as conflict of interest since one way or another these Lawyers and their firms representing clients before the SC will be perceived as receiving favour whether Corona is removed or not…the sympathy syndrome.
I completely agree with #12, 13, & 14. The planner/s of Corona’s impeachment thought there would be no trial as their game plan was to humiliate Corona in public through the help of the yellow media, then Corona would be forced to resign. They disregarded the procedure, where most, if not all, of the 188 signatories did not read what they were signing for. The Articles of Impeachment (AOI) were utterly defective. So, when Corona did not resign, nagkukumahog silang maghagilap ng ebedensya. Pinipilit nilang baluktutin ang sistema by introducing evidence not related to the AOI…The prosecution panel started their trial by publication, in the hope of the huge support from the yellow mob. It turned out they were lying.And they have the chutzpa to deny that the 45 alleged properties information did not come from them. …What’s so special with Corona why they did not follow the procedure? Why all of a sudden they are now observing the procedure in the case of Justice Mariano Del Castillo…?
In the justice system, we have a saying: “When you seek redress, come up with a clean hand.” I was wondering who among the congressmen-prosecutors and the 188 signatories to the Corona’s impeachment has a value of property and assets of less than 50 Million Pesos? How about Tupas’ P50 Million mansion under construction in Quezon City. How about Farinas’ properties in Ilocos? (What happen to Farinas’ case against his wife, BTW? Just asking. No intent of sowing intrigue.) If that is the case, Corona’s alleged wealth pale in comparison to their wealth…The impeachment of Corona is a personal issue of Penoy, plain and simple, fueled by Hacienda Luisita. If he is true to his words, as a self-righteous person, with his “Daang Matuwid” and “Walang Mahirap Kung Walang Kurap” why is he surrounded by people of questionable integrity. Neric Acosta has graft case in Sandiganbayan; his PCSO Director has tons of Estafa cases; his MMDA Chair has graft case; his KKK Llamas, the patron of pirates; his buddy in Senate Franklin “I will build a Malacanang in the south for you Mrs. President.” Drilon was an avid Gloria supporter; Kiko “Mr. Noted” Pangilinan was highly instrumental to the cheating to Presidency of Gloria; his would-be appointee to the failed “Truth Commission” Hilario Davide prostituted the Constitution by inventing the “Constructive Resignation” as among the grounds for removal of the President; and many, many more….I really doubt on the wisdom of Penoy in having Corona impeached. Where was he when Gloria was being impeached…!!!???
Kawawang Pilipinas…It is beset with tons and tons of problems, uncontrollable rising cost of everything is the main, but you have a President that cannot do anything to control it, although he can control the impeachment process of Corona. This impeachment costs the Philippine government, taxpayers’ money, a lot of money, to the tune of 30 Million Pesos a day, wheeew!!! How much did the President give to the earthquake victims….?…I want Corona get convicted. They say Corona is the roadblock to the progress of the nation. When corona is gone, Penoy has no more excuses, I’m going to watch how the Philippines will progress….!!!
From Lourdes Cajolo:
Ms. Ellen,
I quote from your article:
“Corona, with his millions, could very well afford to pay the fees of his legal team. But he himself stressed that his de campanilla lawyers were giving their services for free. Maybe he didn’t think of the ethical implications.
That’s a reflection of his sense of ethics.”
Isn’t it the height of hypocrisy and false pride kung binibigay na nga ng libre sa iyo e tatangihan mo pa? What ethics are you talking about? These are facts and ordinary parcel of an ordinary way of life here on earth and culture in the Philippines regardless of whether the one involve is poor or rich. Alam mo, under this particular circumstance, kung ako ang nagbibigay ng gift na yan e masasaktan mo pa ang damdamin ko kung tatangihan mo dahil sa ethics na sinasabi mo. At saka ang nangyayaring ito sa impeachment ay beyond money, anyway. Do you realize what moves Karen Jimeno, Cuevas et al to give their de campanilla services for free to CJ Corona? It is their fervent and sublime belief – that the independence of the whole judiciary is at stake here not only CJ Corona. And to them that is real and true at maaaring sa iyo bs yun or you don’t even buy it nor give a damn; but they are lawyers; it is at the heart and core of their profession. And then, ipapasok mo ang ethics- anu yan? Dapat nga, it’s the Filipino people who should pay these people (not the prosecution panel na binabayaran ng ating taxes) dahil they are helping to save our judicial independence from undue and sloppy external interference. Do you care or have you looked at this event this way? Because as an ordinary concerned citizen, that is what I see and hear.
Pero kung ang gusto mo nga ay autocracy, bullying, selective justice at law of the jungle at mahilig ka rin sa fishing expedition, suspicions and unverified reports, means justifying the means (all under the guise of judicial reforms), ay hindi at never mo nga maaapreciate ang mga sinasabi ko at ang ginagawa ng defense team for CJ Corona and CJ Corona himself. I rest my case. You are free to remain deluded but ethical as many Filipinos are.
God bless you and your family. You serve the Filipino people through writing and I hope you really do serve your country well by the opinions you are espousing. People like me have high expectations from writers like you as one who can distinguish and separate the grain from the chaff. May you be the servant of truth (not lies) and justice (not injustice) to all (including CJ Corona whom I never knew and will never know personally).
Kahit yong taxi driver na kilala ko ay alam na itong si Corona ay aso talaga ng mga Arroyo. Bakit ang iba ay kunyari nagbibibingihan … nagbubulagbulagan sa mga pinaggagawa nitong taong ito. Yong huli na lang na ginawa niya ay yong bigla na lang umuwi galing USA para isalba ang kanyang Reynang mandurugas …. di ba obyos na obyos yong ginawa niya????? Ha! Ha! Ha!
At kitang kita ito ng Gobyernong kasalukuyan at sa aking palagay talagang tanggalin na talaga ang tangnang yan. Ganyan lang po kasimple yang isyung yan. Walang yelow yellow dito. oki .. Puweeeeeee!!!!!!
If you do a search at lawphil.net, using the search words
“judicial canon, gift”
You will come up with cases regarding Canon 5.04. All of them have one thing in common – acceptance of a gift or favor by the judge, or judge’s wife, from a litigant with a pending case in the judge’s sala.
lawphil.net/judjuris/juri2011/feb2011/am_mtj-09-1737_2011.html
loan from litigant to judge’s wife. penned by Carpio.
lawphil.net/judjuris/juri2000/apr2000/am_rtj_95_1308_2000.html
litigant paid for judge’s freight. Per Curiam (by the court)
lawphil.net/judjuris/juri2004/mar2004/am_rtj_03_1801_2004.html
judge accepted money from litigant on the occasion of judge’s wife’s death. Penned by Corona.
In the case of Cuevas, there may be litigants at the Supreme Court, who may hire Cuevas, and the case may land in Corona’s division (not all cases are decided en banc). That is too iffy.
Besides, in that case, simple lang ang remedio. Corona can inhibit or recuse himself. Only when Corona refuses to recuse will there be an undue advantage on the part of the potential litigant who may potentially hire Cuevas, which case may potentially land in the First Division.
“For days since the summary firing of NBI Director Magtanggol Gatdula, reports have also buzzed that this happened because the Iglesia ni Kristo (INK) refused to succumb to Malacanang’s pressure to stop former Justice Serafin Cuevas from appearing as lead defense counsel of CJ Corona. Now Cuevas himself affirms this rumor, as reported by a newspaper today, attesting that some Palace emissaries have suggested that the criminal case against Gatdula (also an INK member like himself) would be dropped if Cuevas abandons the defense panel. Cuevas was also quoted as revealing that he’s being harassed by BIR agents now poking into his properties.”
http://www.polbits.com/2012/01/cuevas-admits-being-harassed-by-bir.html
Panawagan sa mga kriminal dyan, kuhanin ninyo ang serbisyo ni Cuevas at may tsansang ma-raffle kay Corona ang kaso ninyo.
-Tedanz
Oo, kanya-kanyang amo lang yan. Obyos naman e. Ikaw hindi obyos sa yo ang Hacienda Luisita? Yung kanyang Reynang mandurugas vs ang angkan ng idolo mong suwapang sa lupa, hindi obyos sa yo? Hahaha!
O ayan dumura ka pa! Tingnan mo kulay!
#24
Noong una pa naman bago umupo si Pnoy hindi na niya kinilala si Corona dahil siya daw ay midnight appointee ni Glorya. Ganun pa man nakiramdam muna at wala tayong naririnig o nababalitaan dito. Pero sa dami ng ginawang pabor o kapalpakan ni Corona dito sa reyna niya napuno na ang Palasyo kaya tinuluyan na nila itong si Corona. Yang Hacienda Luisita na isyu ay lumabas na lang sa bunganga nitong si Corona na dahil daw dito ay nagngingitngit na itong si Pnoy para ilayo lang yang isyung pinapaboran nitong si Corona itong mga Arroyo. Sinakyan naman ang iba diyan at isa ka na diyan … kaya dahil dito ….. Puweeeeeee!!!! 🙂
sobra naman itong mga nagdudunungdunungan dine.
abogada de kampanilya itong isang babaeng kasama sa depensa. dating asosyit dyastes’yung isa, naubos ang buhok sa pagsasaulo ng bawat letra ng batas. ‘yung iba naman ay mga may sinasabi ding pwang mga bigatin. LIBRE (daw) ang serbisyo nila para kay renato corona na hayun at MILYONES ang hindi idinikleyr sa kanyang SLN, este SLN pero tanungin ninyo kung meron silang ISANG KAHIG ISANG TUKA na idinipensa nang libre sa korte.
‘yun lang naman ang punto dine, eh.
‘yung kunyaring PAGTULONG nang libre at ‘yung KAKAPALAN ng mukha ng hindi daw pinagbabayad.
lokohin nila lelang nila!
The SC has now issued a TRO on Corona’s dollar account deposits. So now Corona and his allies want to play hardball. So be it. Let’s get it on. Let’s see whose feet are made of granite or clay.
The PSB President Garcia has become more intransigent and has virtually told the impeachment court ‘I won’t follow you, I will follow the SC.’
A slap on the faces of the Senators.
The House prosecutors are studying if they could file impeachment charges against the 8 SC justices who today voted to issue the TRO on Corona’s dollar account deposits.
Getting more interesting. No longer just Corona vs the 188 Congressmen. It is now also the Supreme Court vs the Senate Impeachment Court.
Humus, huwag naman sanang sobrang freeloading ng promotion ng ibang blogs dito sa blog ko.