Decision Number 908

Request from the Coordinating Council of the Philippines Central Conference for a Declaratory Decision on the Status of a Member of That Council Who Is Elected to Membership on the Judicial Council.

Digest

A Judicial Council member elected to the Council during General Conference 2000 is prohibited from holding membership on the Coordinating Council and other Central Conference boards, councils or committees. If such membership is held, it must be resigned immediately.

Statement of Facts

This matter comes before the Judicial Council on certification by the secretary of the Philippines Central Conference of a referral for a declaratory decision on the status of the membership on the Coordinating Council and other Central Conference Boards and Committees of one who was elected to the Judicial Council during General Conference 2000.

We take jurisdiction under ¶ 2616 of the 1996 Discipline.

Par. 2606 of the 1996 Discipline states that "[m]embers of the [judicial] council shall be ineligible to serve in any general, jurisdictional, or central conference board or agency. The plain language of the Discipline operates to prohibit a member of the Judicial Council from serving on any central conference board or agency. This prohibition is inclusive of membership on the Coordinating Council of the Central Conference and any other board, council or committee of the conference. Any person on the Judicial Council holding such membership must immediately resign the position.

Rodolfo C. Beltran recused himself and did not participate in any of the proceedings that involved this petition.