SCRIPT FOR CANNON 7

BARANDON VS. FERRER

RULE 7.03. A lawyer shall not engage in conduct that adversely reflect on his fitness to practice
law, nor shall he, whether in public or private life behave in scandalous manner to the discredit
of the legal profession.

CHARACTERS:
Atty Edwin ferrer – drunk lawyer (defendant’s counsel)
Imelda Palatolon– Atty ferrer’s client (defendant)
Atty Bonifacio Barandon – petitioner’s counsel
Shiela Lee – petitioner
Judge
3 court personnel/litigants/lawyers

Jessica Soho: Bagama’t nakakakilabot at puno ng “stress” ang pagiging isang

abogado, di mapagkakakit na ito’y isang karespe-respeto at marangal na
propesyonna kinakailangan ng mataas na dignidad and respeto. Kaya di
kaagad na iisipin na isang araw sa probinsya ng Camarines Norte ay may
isang abogado ay nagmistulang tambay sa kanto nang siya’y magpakita na di
umano’y, LASING, sa batasang korte.

[clips of Cam Norte]

[SCENE 1]: SCENE OF THE HYSTERICAL LAWYER
Just before the start of the court hearing, a group of court personnel enters
the court room to get ready for CIVIL CASE NO. 7040. The room has the
natural aura of a courtroom, filled with stressed litigants and seriousness
circumnavigating the essence of the room.

Every one else is busy with their own businesses.

Atty Barandon carefully instructs his client about the procedure, Shiela Lee
has a hint of nervousness within him, court personnel are rustling through
papers, effectively trying to get the procedure altogether, and sitting quite
nervously is Imelda, all alone, on her phone, shouting at the person on the
other line, angrily asking where his counsel, Atty Ferrer is, for the said
attorney is now 10 minutes late.

Suddenly, a loud bursting of the door.

[ATTY FERRER ENTERS THE ROOM] – almost red, very sweaty, and
somewhat haggard-looking.
ATTY FERRER: NAK NG, ANG INIT NAMAN DITO. WALA NA BA PERA TONG
KORTE NA TO, ANO BA NAMAN YAN!

[murmuring from various court personnel, suspecting Ferrer’s drunkenness]

FERRER (says to the audience): ANO??? WALA BA KAYONG AIRCON? JUSKO

NAMAN PO

[judge enters the room]

COURT CLERK: For the trial. All rise, RTC Branch 11 is now in session,
Honorable Abad resides. Heavenly Father, we ask for your guidance that
justice may be served in the most fruitful and honest way that may uplift all
those bound by the laws of the land, and laws of Your Being. This we ask in
Jesus’ name, amen.

JUDGE : Thank you, please be seated.

COURT CLERK: For arraignment, we call on civil case number 7040, Shiela
Lee vs. Imelda Palatolon, appearance for the prosecutor, and defense
council.

ATTY BARANDON : (stands up)Your Honor, I am Attorney Bonifacio T.

barando, Jr. appearing as prosecutor under the direct control and
supervision of the public prosecutor.

JUDGE: Thank you, please be seated. Is Palatolon around?

CLERK: Yes your honor.

JUDGE: Palatalon, do you have a lawyer?

PALATALON: Yes, your honor.

(wakes up a seemingly bored and uninterested Atty Ferrer)
PALATALON to FERRER: HUY ED, GISING!!! AYAN NA ATA

ATTY FERRER mumbles angrly to himself and scartchs his head, annoyed, at
the sight of the judge, his client, and atty barandon. He has difficulty
standing up, and tries to stop himself from yawning. He clears his throat
and speaks loudly.

ATTY FERRER: YESSSSS, your ---(BURPS)---honor.

(Ferrer immediately sits down afterwards)
Barandon looks at him with disgust, and sighs to himself, but ferrer hears
this and immediately stands up enraged with anger and speaks loudly.

ATTY FERRER: HOY! TINGIN KA NG TINGIN JAN

(Ferrer stares at Barandon with discorn, burning red with rage, he just
stands there breathing heavily as if ready to burst any time, but Imelda
stands up and holds his arms as if to stop him from arguing)

IMELDA : (Ed, huwag mo na patulan, laban nanaman, eh court na nga eto.

Please, sit down na.

(Ferrer breaks free from Imelda’s hold)

FERRER to IMELDA; (irritably whispers to imelda) : Bitawan mo ako, pwede
ba?
FERRER to BARANDON : Laban kung laban, patayan kung patayan,
kasama ang lahat ng pamilya!
WALA NA PALANG MAGALING NA ABOGADO SA CAMARINES NORTE,
ANG ABOGADO NA RITO AY MGA TAGA-CAMARINES SUR, UMUWI NA
KAYO SA CAMARINES SUR, HINDI KAYO TAGA RITO!

(Trying to humiliate and discredit Atty Barandon, the court chief goes after
atty ferrer to stop him from further making a ruckus, while the judge
continuously pounds his gavel to signal order in the court. The court
becomes a mess and every one is in awe at what the attorney has showed
inside the court room. Every one was whispering, gossiping, exclaiming
with surprise)
The police bring a hysterical atty ferrer out of the room
----CUT SCENE----

SCENE 2: FERRER, GUILT TRIP

Setting: Club/Bar, dark room with various lights from all over the place,
loud music, a generally fun and rowdy atmosphere

Ferrer sits alone in the corner drinking his alcohol, tipsy and almost very
rugged-looking. Suddenly, his friend arrives, and they greet one another.

Friend #1: You’re drunk nanaman!!

Ferrer: Baliw, di ako lasing pare. (but is actually drunk lol)
Friend #1: Pre, buti di ka pa pumapasok ng lasing sa korte? (Looks serious
now)
Ferrer: Pre, a while ago nga mejo may mga nasabi ako kay Barandon, kupal
kasi eh. I was in court din, as in literal andun lahat, jusge, clerk, pati client
ko. Ewan ko, mukang goods naman.
(his friend looks at him with pity.)
Friend #1: Gago ka man, ayusin mo yan.
Ferrer : (looks serious now, is actually kinda nervous, so just shrugs it off
and when his friend looks away, he suddenly becomes all dramatic and is
worried about what will happen)

----cut scene----
JESSICA: Makalipas ang ilang araw, nakasuhan si atty Edwin ferrer at napa-
police blotter dahil sa kaniyang nagawang di kanais-nais na Gawain sa loob
ng korte. At ang nasabing laban ay itinotoo, nan gang magsampa ng kaso ay
di umano ang kaniyang kinalaban noon sa korte na si, Atty Barandon.

(explains cannon 7: Though a lawyers language may be forceful and

emphatic, it should always be dignified and respectful, befitting the dignity of the
legal profession. The use of intemperate language and unkind ascriptions has no
place in the dignity of judicial forum.[17] Atty. Ferrer ought to have realized that this
sort of public behavior can only bring down the legal profession in the public
estimation and erode public respect for it. Whatever moral righteousness
Atty. Ferrer had was negated by the way he chose to express his indignation.