The Justices of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, led by Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo, and the United States Embassy’s Office of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) reaffirmed their commitment to continue working together on judicial reform programs.
During a meeting on January 18, 2023 held at the En Banc Session Hall, the Supreme Court and the INL reviewed ongoing and concluded joint projects and expressed their shared commitment to future collaborations.
The American delegation was headed by INL Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Lisa Johnson.
Among recently concluded projects is the Clinical Legal Education Program (CLEP), which has been successfully codified with the revision of Rule 138-A or the Revised Law Student Practice Rule, requiring all Philippine law schools to establish a CLEP and law clinics nationwide. The Chief Justice noted that since the revision of the Rule in 2019, law clinics from various law schools in the country have adopted, on their own initiatives, various approaches consistent with the needs of the vulnerable and disadvantaged communities.
For her part, Ms. Johnson said she was proud to partner with the Supreme Court as she noted the deep and long-standing relations between the Philippines and the United States. She also lauded the Supreme Court’s blueprint for reform for the next five years, the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027 or the SPJI, including its objectives of efficiency, innovation, and access.
The Chief Justice was joined by Justices Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa, Henri Jean Paul B. Inting, Rodil V. Zalameda, Jhosep Y. Lopez, Japar B. Dimaampao, Jose Midas P. Marquez, Antonio T. Kho, Jr., and Maria Filomena D. Singh.
With Ms. Johnson were INL Director Kelia Cummins, U.S. Department of Justice Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (DOJ OPDAT) Resident Legal Adviser Don Calvert, INL Program Officer Richard Maloney, and Atty. Chudney Ngo. (Courtesy of the Supreme Court Public Information Office)