MANILA, Philippines — Individuals posing as lawyers even if they are not will soon be penalized with the House of Representatives approving on third and final reading a bill that seeks to punish people who misrepresent themselves as lawyers.
By a unanimous vote of 202-0, the chamber approved House Bill (HB) No. 10691, a bill that penalizes people who misrepresent themselves as lawyers.
HB 10691 defines the unauthorized practice of law as falsely representing oneself as a member of the Philippine Bar, whether for profit or any other reason.
The bill proposes penalties ranging from imprisonment of up to six years, a fine of P100,000 to P5 million, or both, for anyone practicing law without being a member of the Philippine Bar.
“House Bill No. 10691 hopes to significantly abate instances of fraud, misrepresentation, and deceit that undermine the proper administration of justice. With this proposed law, we hope to strengthen the trust and confidence of the public not only in the legal profession but more importantly the justice system,” said Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez Wednesday.
Except as allowed by law or the Rules of Court, appearing in court or signing any legal document—such as pleadings, motions, entries of appearance, or letters—while falsely claiming to be a member of the Philippine Bar is considered an unauthorized practice of law, the proposed measure said.
It likewise said that advertising or claiming to be a member of the Philippine Bar through signs, cards, billboards, advertisements, or any media—including social media and websites—or using titles like “Attorney,” “Attorney-at-law,” or “Atty.” with one’s name is considered illegal.
Under the proposed measure, it said that possessing a fake or altered ID card supposedly from the Supreme Court or the Integrated Bar of the Philippines will be clear evidence of unauthorized practice of law.
“The bill also seeks to impose the accessory penalty of perpetual absolute disqualification to hold public office on any person found guilty of the violations,” it said.
This means that anyone convicted of these violations will be prohibited from holding any public office.
