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Case Digest: Kuroda v. Jalandoni etal.

May23,2016
ThelimitedappearanceofAmericanlawyersinamilitarycommissiontotrywarcriminalsisnotconsideredas
constitutingpracticeoflaw(AGPALO).

1.SHIGENORIKURODAv.RAFAELJALANDONIetal.,83Phil.171(1949)

FACTS

ShigenoriKurodawastheCommandingGeneraloftheJapaneseImperialForcesinthePhilippinesfrom
1943to1944.HewaschargedbeforeamilitarycommissionwhichwasorganizedthroughExecutive
OrderNo.68.Inhiscase,twoAmericanAorneyswhowerenotauthorizedbytheSupremeCourtof
thePhilippinestopracticelaw;namelyMelvilleHusseyandRobertPort,wereappointedasprosecutors
representingtheAmericanCommanderinChief.KurodachallengestheparticipationoftheseAmerican
aorneysonthegroundthattheyarenotqualiedtopracticelawinthePhilippinesinaccordancewith
theRulesofCourt.

ISSUE

WhetherAmericanlawyersmayparticipateinacaseunderamilitarycommissionwhentheyarenot
qualiedtopracticelawinthePhilippines

RULING

Yes.Americanlawyersmayparticipateinacaseunderamilitarycommission.Themilitary
commissionisaspecialmilitarytribunalgovernedbyspeciallawandnotbytheRulesofCourtwhich
governordinarycivilcourt.ThereisnothinginExecutiveOrderNo.68whichrequiresthatcounsel
appearingbeforesaidcommissionmustbeaorneysqualiedtopracticelawsinthePhilippinesin
accordancewiththeRulesofCourt.Infact,itiscommoninmilitarytribunalsthatcounselfortheparties
areusuallymilitarypersonnelwhoareneitheraorneysnorevenpossessedoflegaltraining.

*DissentingOpinionbyJusticePerfecto

TheAmericanlawyersarealiensandhavenotbeenauthorizedbytheSupremeCourttopracticelaw
therecouldnotbeanyquestionthatsaidpersoncannotappearasprosecutorsinthecaseaswithsuch
appearancetheywouldbepracticinglawagainstthelaw.Inaddition,ExecutiveOrderNo.68provides
rulesofprocedurefortheconductoftrialoftrial.Thisisausurpationoftherulemakingpowervested
bytheConstitutionintheSupremeCourt.

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