IBP Cebu City Chapter President to Push For Bar Exams in Cebu

(PNA) — The new president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Cebu chapter is pushing for the conduct of bar examinations in Cebu.

Newly elected IBP Cebu Province president Gonzalo Malig-on said that IBP will follow up its request before the Supreme Court to allow bar examinations outside Manila to “level the playing field” among barristers.

Malig-on also wants to work on decongesting jails through “constant legal aid program.”

Malig-on also said his administration will work on giving free mentoring to peace mediators or lupon tagapamayapa.

IBP City and Province chapters elected the new set of officers Saturday at the IBP Social Hall in the Cebu Capitol Compound.

Lawyer Hidelito Pascual was elected president of the IBP Cebu City chapter.

Pascual, Malig-on and their lineup ran unopposed. They will lead the IBP for two years.

Malig-on also plans to convert the IBP office into an “information hub” where local lawyers can access vital job-related information such as contact numbers of courts outside Cebu.

Malig-on also plans to request the IBP national organization to allow local chapters to hear disbarment cases and conduct mediation between litigants and lawyers before complaints are elevated to the national chapter.

The 44-year-old Malig-on also teaches in the University of San Jose-Recoletos-College of Law where he graduated in 1997.

He was admitted to the bar in 1998 and later elected as director and eventually vice president of the IBP Cebu Province chapter.

Pascual and Malig-on will succeed incumbent IBP presidents Mae Elaine Bathan and Erwin Rommel Heyrosa, respectively.

The other elected officers in the IBP Cebu City chapter were Jose Glenn Capanas, vice president; Mark Anthony Gaviola, secretary; Michelle Mendez-Palmares, treasurer; Regal Oliva, auditor; and Chad Rodolfo Miel, public relations officer.

Elected directors for IBP Cebu City Chapter were lawyers Fillmore Gomos, Piedad Gonzalez, Christine Naranjo, Anabelle Page and Leslie Ann Reyes.

For the Cebu Province chapter, Joel Seno was elected vice president; Ria Lidia Espina, secretary; Mundlyn Misal-Martin; treasurer; Rheneir Mora, auditor; Marthye Budomo, public relations officer.

The directors are Fritz Baguio, Cheryl Condat, Renato Galeon, Fermin Pepito, and Leilani Villarino. (PNA) CTB/ EB