Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen should seriously consider keeping his hands off from handling this year’s Bar Examinations, if only to make sure that he could come in fit and prepared for his defense in view of an impending impeachment trial.
Complainant Edwin Cordevilla, secretary general of the Filipino League of Advocates for Good Governance-Maharlika, said Leonen should relinquish his position as Bar Examinations chairperson since the latter may not be able to focus on what seemed to be an all-too important examination scheduled on four consecutive Sundays of November.
For this year’s digital bar examinations, tests would be administered to aspiring lawyers on November 7, 14, 21 and 28.
“We appeal to Supreme Court Justice Marvic Leonen’s good sense to spare thousands who are aspiring to be lawyers by voluntary giving-up his position as 2020 /21 Bar Examinations Chairperson, since he cannot be fit mentally and physically to handle these all-too important examinations,” Cordevilla said in a statement.
Cordevilla said that by November, Leonen would already be “too busy preparing his defense” amid the legislative hearings following House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco’s endorsement of the impeachment case to the Majority Floor Leader Ferdinand Martin Romualdez for inclusion in the chamber’s order of business.
“This call comes amidst the prospect of Associate Justice Leonen’s very busy schedule, especially since he will be preoccupied with the necessary preparations for his defenses at the House committee hearings,” he said.
Cordevilla also asked Leonen to judiciously spare aspiring lawyers from taking the brunt of his “all too busy schedule” by then.
“It will be unfair to the examinees, their families and all stakeholders if he will not be able to fully devote his time, energy and focus for the coming bar exams. We hope Associate Justice Leonen will heed this appeal as he needs all the time in the world today more than ever to prepare to answer the verified impeachment complaint filed against him in the House of Representatives, and to clear his desk of ageing cases in the Supreme Court as well as the unresolved cases in the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal where he sits as its chairman,” added Cordevilla.
“May Associate Justice Leonen see the wisdom in resigning as 2020 /21 Bar Examinations Chairperson for good.”
Charged with betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution, Leonen has been accused of defying the law requiring government officials and personnel to file Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth.