Metropolitan Trial Court

In compliance with the subject’s requirement, our group went in Branch 33 of the Manila

Metropolitan Trial Court under the sala of Judge Lopena to observe court proceedings. As a

matter of protocol, we were first asked to draft a letter indicating the purpose of our visit and

each member’s personal information for documentation. We were all at ease because the court

employees were accommodating, respectful and considerate.

After complying with the abovementioned requirement, we were assisted going inside the

court room. The room was jam-packed so we were forced to occupy the back seats. As we rolled

our eyes throughout the court room, we noticed how different it was compared to the court

rooms portrayed in the movies. The room is tiny for it could only accommodate few spectators.

The walls are no longer well painted, court records are decaying, chairs are decrepit, air-

conditioner is failing and the court tools (recorder, laptops, etc.) are ancient. It was pathetic.

These irregularities reduce the court’s efficiency and affect the court’s mandate for a speedy

delivery of justice. If we are to describe a lawyer’s profession based solely on what our eyes

have witnessed, we can easily say that it is not so noble.

Most of the cases heard during that day were concerned with land disputes. Land dispute

cases are supposed to be tedious. We were wrong. The counsels for both parties came well

prepared without any intention of losing. The tension was elevated when one of the counsels

deliberately accused the other party of fabricating stories. As expected, the other counsel toughly

defended his client and disproved the allegations. No one backed out as they incessantly

exchanged legal views and opinions. It was a good opportunity to have witnessed such occasion

because they both helped us realize how important it is to prepare in any occasion.

Concerning the interpreter of the court, he seems to be unfit on his duty because he

cannot interpret well to the witness the language from English to Filipino and vice-versa. The

judge helped him in order to communicate well with the witness. If this is the situation in court

proceedings then, we cannot render the true intention of the law in assuring that a witness must

understand what is being asked to him.

With regard to the judge, we find him impartial. In one of the cases that were heard

before him, there’s one counsel, who asked for a reconsideration which he granted although the

counsel failed to file it on time since, a similar incident happened before in the same case in

which, the other counsel was given the same leeway. Furthermore, he seems to be dedicated to

his work because in every case that was being heard, he listens attentively and ruled in

accordance to the evidence presented before him. There’s no point in time that we saw him

sleeping, texting or doing other activities unrelated to his work unlike the other judges that we

saw or encountered before. We hope that all lawyers will become dedicated to their work and

will always uphold the mandate of the constitution in order to render justice to the people and

community. Our country not only needs good lawyers but also whole-hearted lawyers.

For an aspiring lawyers like us, our visit to the court provided an opportunity to directly

observe the judicial process in practice so we can realize, what are the things that we need to

instil in ourselves and those flaws which we need to correct.