On June 8, 2022, in Cebu City, the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI), through its Access to Justice and Support for the Rule of Law program funded by the United States Agency for International Development, hosted a roundtable discussion on security concerns relating to the provision of legal services by lawyers with the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) as well as potential cooperation between lawyers and journalists.
The meeting welcomed IBP chapter representatives from various provinces and officers of the IBP National Board, along with other key stakeholders. The attendees discussed the risks, threats, and reprisals (including violence) often encountered by lawyers handling criminal cases. The discussion also included strategies on how to improve lawyers’ security and explore prospective cooperation with journalists to spotlight the stories and experiences of lawyers who are subjected to attacks and harassment as a result of the services they render. The possibility of improving current programs to extend broader legal assistance to journalists on paralegal training was also identified as a way forward.