THE PHILIPPINE Supreme Court (SC) has ruled that legal officers of local government units (LGUs) are prohibited from representing public officials charged before the Ombudsman due to conflicts of interest.
In a decision penned by Associate Justice Antonio T. Kho Jr., Richard R. Enojo — the legal officer who served as the counsel for former Negros Oriental governor Roel R. Degamo in his criminal and administrative cases — was found to have breached the Code of Professional Responsibility.
The ruling stated that Mr. Enojo lacked the authority to practice law outside his duties as provincial legal officer, rendering his representation of Mr. Degamo before the Ombudsman, the Sandiganbayan as well as the Court of Appeals unauthorized.
“The Court finds that respondent must be reprimanded for his act of representing the Provincial Governor, which gave rise to a conflict of interest,” read the ruling.
“The Court, however, stresses that the leniency of this penalty extends only to the present case and not to subsequent cases of legal officers representing their LGU’s public officials when they are charged in their private capacities,” it added. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana
