SC Announces Schedule For Virtual Oath Taking For New Lawyers

SC announced the schedule for a virtual oath-taking ceremony for new lawyers.

The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday officially announced the schedule for the virtual oath-taking ceremony of the 2019 BAR examination passers.

This, as the Supreme Court En Banc on Tuesday approved a resolution that would allow conducting the oath-taking ceremony on June 25 through an online video conference and linked to the government’s television network for broadcast.

The Supreme Court explained that the said resolution was approved as the current health crisis in the Philippines as well as the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic made it not possible to hold the ceremony in a traditional way, as such, it had to take into consideration the government’s existing policies on public health.

SC
Photo: Manila Bulletin

However, the Supreme Court clarified that the virtual oath-taking was to be “pro hac vice“, which means, the resolution was to be “exclusive” and “limited only” on the occasion of the 2019 BAR examination passers.

The said resolution mentioned Article VIII Section 5 (5) of the Constitution in which the rule-making power of SC regarding the admission to the practice of law as its basis.

Moreover, the Supreme Court authorized the Bar Confidant, under the guidance of the chairperson of the 2019 Bar examinations Senior Associate Justice Estela M. Perlas-Bernabe, to perform all necessary acts — under existing rules, regulations, and resources — to carry out the oath-taking ceremony as contemplated in the said resolution.

As per the press release, the Office of the Bar Confidant has yet to announce the guidelines, details, and instructions to the new lawyers for this year’s virtual oath-taking ceremony.

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