The Philippine Judicial Academy conducted the 16^th Metrobank Foundation Professorial Chair Lecture featuring the topic The Significance of Recent Developments in Criminal Law, Procedure and Jurisprudence to the Philippine Judicial System delivered by then Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice, now Chief Justice, Diosdado M. Peralta on October 2 at the En Banc Session Hall, Supreme Court.

Three hundred sixty-two participants composed of SC, Court of Appeals, Sandiganbayan and Court of Tax Appeals justices, SC and PHILJA officials, judges, lawyers from SC and appellate courts, court employees, representatives from Metrobank Foundation, Inc. (MBFI) and other guests attended and attentively listened to the lecture of Chief Justice Peralta, this year’s Chair holder.

PHILJA Chancellor Justice Adolfo S. Azcuna warmly welcomed the participants who packed the SC En Banc Session Hall to the rafters. Metrobank Foundation President Mr. Aniceto M. Sobrepeña delivered a message followed by a short video entitled “A Heart that Serves” showing MBFI’s works and advocacies.

Chief Justice Peralta’s lively lecture delved on the following topics: Adjustment of RPC Penalties, Amendments to the Law on Probation, Plea Bargaining in Drugs Cases, Procedure in and Observations on Republic Act No. 9165, Good Conduct Time Allowance, The Community Service Act, Revised Guidelines for Continuous Trial, and Guidelines on the Use of Videoconferencing.

After the lecture, PHILJA Vice Chancellor Justice Romeo J. Callejo, Sr. gave a short reaction, which was followed by an open forum.

Chief Justice Peralta presented a copy of his lecture to Mr. Sobrepeña, who later turned over the paper to the Supreme Court through Senior Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio. After the presentation, plaques were presented by the Supreme Court and PHILJA represented by Justice Carpio and Justice Azcuna, respectively, to the MBFI, Chief Justice Peralta and Justice Callejo.

The program was capped by Justice Carpio’s closing remarks congratulating the Chair holder and thanking everyone for attending the lecture.

       

The Metrobank Foundation Professorial Chair Lecture, now on its 16^th year, aims to assist PHILJA in developing and enhancing its judicial education programs by providing grants to its Corps of Professors to write and publish books and treatises with innovative concepts and approaches in designated areas of law. Since 2004, 16 PHILJA Professors have delivered professorial lectures in various fields of law.