CANON6THESECANONSSHALLAPPLYTOLAWYERSINGOVERNMENTSERVICES

INTHEDISCHARGEOFTHEIRTASKS.
A lawyer does not shed his professional obligations upon his assuming public
office.
Publicofficeisapublictrust
The ethical duties provided for in the Code of Professional Responsibility are
renderedevenmoreexactingastothelawyersinthegovernmentservicebecause,asgovernment
counsel,theyhavetheaddeddutytoabidebythepolicyoftheStatetopromoteahighstandardof
ethicsinpublicservice.

Rule6.01Theprimarydutyofalawyerengagedinpublicprosecutionisnottoconvictbuttosee
thatjusticeisdone.Thesuppressionoffactsortheconcealmentofwitnessescapableofestablishing
theinnocenceoftheaccusedishighlyreprehensibleandiscausefordisciplinaryaction.
Theservantofthelaw,thetwotoldaimofwhichisthatguiltshallnotescapeor
innocencesuffer(Suarezv.Platon69Phil.556)
Apubicprosecutorshouldnothesitatetorecommendtothecourttheaccuseds
acquittaliftheevidenceinhispossessionshowsthattheaccusedisinnocent(Peoplev.Madera,
57SCRA349)
Prosecutorsarechargedwiththedefenseofthecommunityaggrievedbyacrime,
andareexpectedtoprosecutethepublicactionwithsuchzealandvigorasiftheyweretheones
personallyaggrieved,butatalltimescautiousthattheyrefrainfromimpropermethodsdesignedto
secureawrongfulconviction(Dimatulacv.Villon,297SCRA679)
Apublicprosecutorshouldprosecutewithearnestnessandvigor.
Itishisdutytorefrainfromimpropermethodscalculatedtoproduceawrongful
conviction.
Heshouldnotofferasproofoftheguiltoftheaccusedwhichisillegallyseized.
Norsuppressfactsorconcealwitnessescapableofestablishingtheinnocenceofthe
accused.

Rule6.02Alawyerinthegovernmentserviceshallnotusehispublicpositiontopromoteor
advancehisprivateinterests,norallowthelattertointerferewithhispublicduties.
Thisrestrictionappliesparticularlytolawyersingovernmentservice,whoare
allowedbylawtoengageinprivatelawpracticeandtothosewho,thoughprohibitedfrom
engaginginthepracticeoflaw,havefriends,formerassociatesandrelatives,whoareintheactive
practiceoflaw.
Apublicofficialshouldseetoitthathisprivateactivitydoesnotinterferewiththe
dischargeofhisofficialfunctions.

Rule6.03Alawyershallnot,afterleavinggovernmentservice,acceptengagementoremployment
inconnectionwithanymatterinwhichhehadintervenedwhileinsaidservice.
Formerofficialmaynotacceptcertainemployment
Therestrictionagainstapublicofficialfromusinghispublicpositionasavehicleto
promoteoradvancehisprivateinterestsextendsbeyondhistenureoncertainmattersinwhichhe
intervenedasapublicofficial.
Toremedythepossibleappearanceofimproprietyandlossofpublicconfidencein
government.(PCGGv.Sandiganbayan,455SCRA526)