THE NEED FOR AN OFFICIAL LIST OF PHILIPPINE LAWYERS
Back in 2009, we noted the need for updated law lists from the Supreme Court and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines. We felt that this was crucial in preventing fraud online and protecting the public from unscrupulous individuals out there posing as lawyers and using the names of deceased lawyers. At the time, you could still view the names of lawyers who were born more than 100 years ago from both sites. Lately, we received inquiries on certain lawyers, websites, and Facebook Pages and Groups which are representing themselves as lawyers or law firms but on close inspection and a check from the Supreme Court and the IBP sites are actually charlatans.To immediately contact a lawyer, CLICK HERE.
We note that the Supreme Court list has largely been updated. The names of deceased attorneys seem to have been deleted already, and most likely also the names of lawyers who have been disbarred by the High Court. The list of lawyers from the IBP site seems to still include lawyers who have either been disbarred or already deceased.
We submit that some improvement can still be made to include data from Philippine lawyers and attorneys to reflect their current contact information , with office, telephone number, email address and website.
We share the links for the guidance of the public, as follows:
SUPREME COURT http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/baradmission/lawlist/index.php
INTEGRATED BAR OF THE PHILIPPINES http://ibp.ph/ibp%20website/html/ibp_lawlist.html
I am looking for a certain Atty. Nenita O. Ubarra
“We submit that some improvement can still be made” is an understatement. In a couple hours of searching the results of Administrative Complaints (A.C. No. xxx) I found seven recently disbarred lawyers still on both the SC and IBP lists. Where is the Roll of Attorneys mentioned in these A.C. No. documents to be found?
There seems to be a certain contempt by the IBP towards the SC, which by B.M. No. 1645 (October 21, 2015) ordered the IBP to update rule 139-B to reflect the SC’s assertion that only it (the SC) can dismiss cases against lawyers. The IBP has yet to fulfill its assigned duty. Reporters who reported on the Bar Matter back in 2015 show no interest in following up.