FINED | Supreme Court fines PAO chief over remarks on lawyers’ code of conduct

February 27, 2024 , 09:37 PM

By Clarist Zablan

(February 27, 2024) – The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday imposed a P180,000 fine on the head of the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) because of her remarks on the code of conduct for lawyers.

In a statement, the SC Public Information Office said the high court unanimously decided in an en banc session to fine Persida Rueda-Acosta for indirect contempt and “grossly undignified conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice.”

She was fined P30,000 for indirect contempt and P150,000 for undignified conduct, with a “stern warning” from that court that repeat offenses would be “dealt with more severely.”

“It was determined that Atty. Acosta’s statements and innuendos on her Facebook page, which was accessible to the public, attributed ill intent and malice to the Court,” the SC PIO said.

Last year, Acosta assailed section 22, Canon III of the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (CPRA), which stated that a conflict of interest between a client and a PAO lawyer would be only imputed on the individual attorney and their direct supervisor.

However, this does not disqualify other PAO attorneys to represent the affected client, an issue she warned would allow two public counsels to represent opposing parties in cases.

Acosta expressed fears that this would cast doubt on the integrity of the justice system.

The SC said Acosta “tried to sway the public opinion in order to pressure the Court into yielding to her position” by launching a public campaign against the CPRA provision and publicizing the content of PAO’s letter urging Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo to delete the rule.

The court also found that she violated a provision of a CPRA that enjoined lawyers “to respect the courts, to submit grievances against court officers only through the appropriate remedy and before the proper authorities, and to refrain from making unfounded statements insinuating improper motive on the part of court officers.”

Acosta also “violated her duty to observe and maintain the respect due to the Court and to promote respect for laws and legal processes,” the high court said.

The SC approved the CPRA in April last year, citing a need to make a “modern, relevant, and responsive” code of conduct for lawyers. The code took effect a month later.

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