Metrobank honors CA Justice Bruselas over lecture on judicial ethics

Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justice Apolinario Bruselas Jr. has been conferred with the “2022 Metrobank Professorial Chair in Ethics and Judicial Conduct” in a ceremony held at the session hall of the Supreme Court on Nov. 24.

In a statement, the SC’s Public Information Office said Justice Bruselas delivered a lecture entitled “Revisiting the Appointment Process to Philippine Judicial Posts: Models and Standards, Practices in Some States” in conjunction with the 18th Metrobank Foundation Professorial Chair Lecture.

Bruselas discussed judicial appointments and independence, including the processes and nuances involved in the process.

Among the key points presented by Justice Bruselas were “the emerging situation amongst a number of states reflect a discernible departure from executive and legislative dominance” and the development in judicial appointments seems to be towards a diminished participation in the judicial appointments posited by these two branches of government.

“An appointment process that is based on objective criteria efficient, transparent, and free from executive and legislative dominance leads to a co-equally independent judiciary and, ultimately, to a strong Rule of Law,” the SC statement said, quoting from Bruselas’ lecture.

It said that University of the Philippines College of Law Dean Edgardo Carlo Vistan II and Integrated Bar of the Philippines executive vice president Antonio Pido gave their reactions to the lecture.

Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo delivered the closing remarks.

Present during the lecture were SC Associate Justices Ramon Paul L. Hernando, Henri Jean Paul B. Inting, and Rodil V. Zalameda; CA Presiding Justice Remedios A. Salazar-Fernando; Court of Tax Appeals Presiding Justice Roman G. Del Rosario; Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Efren N. Dela Cruz; Philippine Judicial Academy (PhilJA) officials led by Chancellor Rosmari D. Carandang; court officials and personnel; SC and appellate court lawyers; and representatives from the Metrobank Foundation, Inc. led by its President, Aniceto M. Sobrepeña; and other guests.

The PIO said the Metrobank Professorial Chair in the areas of law – a joint project of PhilJA and Metrobank Foundation, Inc. — has, for the past 20 years, promoted excellence in the Judiciary through the delivery of timely and comprehensive discourses prepared by distinguished members of the Judiciary and the academe.