IBP leadership row reaches Supreme Court

MANILA, Philippines - The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) is seeking the help of the Supreme Court (SC) in resolving a brewing leadership conflict.

In a memorandum, incumbent IBP president Feliciano Bautista informed the SC that the election of a new executive vice president (EVP) by a “breakaway” group was void.

Bautista said the election of Elpidio Soriano III should not be honored by the SC because it violated rules and regulations.

Bautista said Soriano was supposedly voted as EVP despite legal questions regarding his claim as the group’s regional governor for Greater Manila.

Under IBP rules, only duly elected regional governors are qualified to run for the position of EVP.

Soriano’s election reportedly had the support of incumbent EVP Rogelio Vinluan, the incoming president of the organization.

But Bautista told the SC that “whatever actions or correspondences made by the EVP (Vinluan) and four of the incumbent governors (affiliated with him) are deemed illegal and have no effect.”

Earlier, Soriano issued a statement declaring his election as EVP of IBP.

The outgoing IBP president clarified that it was Roan Libarios who had been duly elected as new EVP.

Libarios, a former congressman and IBP governor for Eastern Mindanao, got the votes of five of the nine IBP regional governors in an election last May 9. The election was witnessed by Judge Amelia Manalastas, the SC’s appointed observer.

The new officers who won in the May 9 elections, aside from Libarios, were regional directors Ma. Milagros Fernan-Cayosa, Ferdinand Miclat, Manuel Maramba, Amador Tolentino Jr., Jose Cabrera, Roland Inting, Erwin Fortunato and Nasser Marohomsalic.

The new IBP officers are expected to assume their posts on July 1.

With some 48,000 members in 83 chapters nationwide, the IBP is under the direct supervision of the SC.