Supreme Court Ph Podcast

Did Congress commit grave abuse of discretion by failing to pass an anti-political dynasty law for almost 40 years? Can the Commission on Elections be required to step in and issue its own disqualification rules banning candidates belonging to political dynasties?
Listen to the #SupremeCourtPH Podcast with Atty. Rene V. Sarmiento, former Commission on Elections Commissioner and member of the 1986 Constitutional Commission that drafted the 1987 Constitution. He has held various positions in government on human rights and peace initiatives, including as vice chair of the government panel for peace talks with the CPP/NPA/NDF. A law professor and published author of law books, he also served as Examiner in Political Law and Public International Law during the 2019 Bar Examinations.
Supreme Court Chief Communications Officer Atty. Mike Navallo and Commissioner Sarmiento discuss political dynasties within the context of the consolidated cases of 𝘒𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘯 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘺 𝘷. 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴, G.R. No. 263934; 𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘥 𝘷. 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴, G.R. No. 272370; 𝘈𝘭𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘻𝘢 𝘷. 𝘊𝘖𝘔𝘌𝘓𝘌𝘊, G.R. No. 277747; and 1𝘚𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘢𝘺𝘢𝘯 𝘊𝘰𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘷. 𝘚𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦; G.R. No. 279201. This Decision was penned by Associate Justice Ramon Paul L. Hernando and was promulgated by the Supreme Court 𝘌𝘯 𝘉𝘢𝘯𝘤 on August 26, 2026

When lawyers abuse their position of power to exploit vulnerable subordinates, how far will the Supreme Court go to guarantee the integrity of the legal profession?
Listen to the #SupremeCourtPH Podcast with guest Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justice Myra V. Garcia Fernandez, Chairperson of the Legal Writing, Research, and Methodology Department of the Philippine Judicial Academy. The Chairperson of the CA 4th Division, Justice Garcia Fernandez served as an Examiner in Legal Ethics and Practical Exercises during the 2016 Bar Examinations and in Remedial Law, Legal and Judicial Ethics with Practical Exercises during the 2025 Bar Examinations. She also previously held judicial posts at the Metropolitan Trial Court and the Regional Trial Court, both in Manila, and is a law professor.
Supreme Court Chief Communications Officer Atty. Mike Navallo and Justice Garcia Fernandez discuss abuse of power within the context of the case of 𝘙𝘰𝘫𝘢𝘴 𝘷. 𝘈𝘵𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘫𝘰𝘺 𝘉. 𝘘𝘶𝘪𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘢𝘰, A.C. No. 13496. This 𝘗𝘦𝘳 𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘮 decision was promulgated by the Supreme Court 𝘌𝘯 𝘉𝘢𝘯𝘤 on June 4, 2024.

𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐚𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟓, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 to reflect the Supreme Court’s February 25, 2025 Resolution which partly granted Judge Myla M. Villavicencio-Olan’s Motion for Reconsideration. Originally posted on October 30, 2026.
When does a court's violation of the government's No Noon Break" policy warrant administrative liability for judges and court personnel? How does this translate to accountability and maintaining public trust in the Judiciary?
Listen to the #SupremeCourtPH Podcast with guest Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justice Myra V. Garcia Fernandez, Chairperson of the Legal Writing, Research, and Methodology Department of the Philippine Judicial Academy. The Chairperson of the CA 4th Division, Justice Garcia Fernandez served as an Examiner in Legal Ethics and Practical Exercises during the 2016 Bar Examinations and in Remedial Law, Legal and Judicial Ethics with Practical Exercises during the 2025 Bar Examinations. She also previously held judicial posts at the Metropolitan Trial Court and the Regional Trial Court, both in Manila, and is a law professor.
Supreme Court Chief Communications Officer Atty. Mike Navallo and Justice Garcia Fernandez discuss the “No Noon Break” policy of government offices within the context of the case of 𝘖𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵 𝘈𝘥𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘷. 𝘑𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘝𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘰-𝘖𝘭𝘢𝘯, AM No. RTJ-23-040. This decision was penned by Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel H. Guerlan and promulgated by the 𝘌𝘯 𝘉𝘢𝘯𝘤 on June 25, 2024.

What is Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) compliance and why is it significant in a lawyer's authority to practice? When can falsifying an MCLE compliance number constitute an offense which would warrant a lawyer's disbarment?
Listen to the #SupremeCourtPH Podcast with guest Atty. Ronald Paz Caraig, Executive Officer of the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Office (MCLEO). Prior to his appointment as MCLEO Executive Officer, he served in various capacities at the Philippine Judicial Academy (PHILJA), where he was the Chief Judicial Staff Officer of the Publications Division of PHILJA’s Research, Publications and Linkages Office. He is also a resource person and lecturer for various seminars and workshops of the Supreme Court Office of Administrative Services, including those on RA 9710 or the 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘯𝘢 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘢 𝘰𝘧 𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯, Gender Sensitivity Training and the 𝘚𝘢𝘧𝘦 𝘚𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘈𝘤𝘵 for Supreme Court employees.
Supreme Court Chief Communications Officer Atty. Mike Navallo and Atty. Caraig discuss the significance of compliance with the MCLE requirement within the context of the case of In Re: Civil Case No. B-10581 v. Atty. Jose R. Hidalgo, A.C. No. 14311. This Per Curiam Decision was promulgated by the Supreme Court 𝘌𝘯 𝘉𝘢𝘯𝘤 on October 7, 2025.

What prompted the Supreme Court to undertake a comprehensive revision of the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) Rules, and what are the key changes introduced to the program by the 2026 Rules on MCLE? How do these changes seek to make continuing legal education more responsive to the evolving needs of the legal profession?
Listen to the #SupremeCourtPH Podcast with guest Atty. Ronald Paz Caraig, Executive Officer of the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Office (MCLEO). Prior to his appointment as MCLEO Executive Officer, he served in various capacities at the Philippine Judicial Academy (PHILJA), where he was the Chief Judicial Staff Officer of the Publications Division of PHILJA’s Research, Publications and Linkages Office. He is also a resource person and lecturer for various seminars and workshops of the Supreme Court Office of Administrative Services, including those on RA 9710 or the 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘯𝘢 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘢 𝘰𝘧 𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯, Gender Sensitivity Training and the 𝘚𝘢𝘧𝘦 𝘚𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘈𝘤𝘵 for Supreme Court employees.
Supreme Court Chief Communications Officer Atty. Mike Navallo and Atty. Caraig discuss the 2026 𝘙𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘓𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘭 𝘌𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, or the 2026 𝘔𝘊𝘓𝘌 𝘙𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘴, designated as Bar Matter No. 850.