CIRCULAR NO. 12 June 30, 1988
SUPREME COURT CIRCULARS AND ORDERS
TO: ALL JUDGE OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURTS, METROPOLITAN TRIAL COURTS, MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURTS IN CITIES, MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURTS AND MUNICIPAL CIRCUIT TRIAL COURTS
SUBJECT: PROHIBITION OF GOVERNORS AND MAYORS FROM THE PRACTICE OF LAW
For the information and guidance of all concerned, quoted hereunder is the reply, dated June 1, 1988, of Secretary Luis T. Santos of the Department of Local Government to a query posed by the Office of the Court Administrator on whether governors and mayors, who are lawyers, may be allowed to practice law during their term of office, to wit:
. . . please be informed that it is the established policy of the Department to strictly enforce Memorandum Circular No. 17 dated September 4, 1986 of the Office of the President, more particularly as it concerns local elective officials who, by the nature of their positions, are required by law to render full-time service to their contituencies during their term of office. Provincial governors, city and municipal mayors whose duties and responsibilities require that their entire time be at the disposal of the government are classified under the said category and are, therefore, covered by the absolute prohibition imposed by the afore-cited issuance of the Office of the President.
Accordingly, this Department does not allow governors, city the municipal mayors who are lawyers to practice law during their term of office.
Very truly yours,
(Sgd.) LUIS T. SANTOS
Secretary
In this connection, you are hereto enjoined to strictly observe the aforementioned prohibition.
June 30, 1988.
(Sgd.) MAXIMO A. MACEREN
Court Administrator
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