Bar Matter No.

1678
Petition for Leave to Resume the Practice of Law, Benjamin M. Dacanay
Decemer 17, !""7
Dual citizens may practice law in the Philippines by leave of the Supreme Court and
upon compliance with certain requirements, which will restore their good standing as
members of the Philippine Bar.
hus the Court held in a decision penned by !ustice "enato C. Corona, which granted the
petition of #tty. Ben$amin %. Dacanay for leave to resume the practice of law after he
had re&acquired his Philippine citizenship under "# '((), Citizenship "etention and "e&
#cquisition #ct of (**+, sub$ect to his compliance with the following requirements,
-a. the updating and payment in full of the annual membership dues in the /BP0
-b. the payment of professional ta10
-c. the completion of at least +2 credit hours of mandatory continuing legal
education to refresh the applicant3petitioner4s 5nowledge of Philippine laws and
update him of legal developments0 and
-d. the reta5ing of the lawyer4s oath which will not only remind him of his duties
and responsibilities as a lawyer and as an officer of the Court, but also renew his
pledge to maintain allegiance to the "epublic of the Philippines.
he Court stressed that 6no automatic right to resume law practice accrues7 to a 8ilipino
lawyer who has re&acquired Philippine citizenship in accordance with "# '((), even if
such lawyer is 6also deemed never to have terminated his membership in the Philippine
bar.7 he Court pointed out that "# '(() provides that a person wishing to practice a
profession under the law must 6apply with the proper authority for a license or permit to
engage in such practice.7
#tty. Dacanay had been admitted to the Philippine Bar in 9'2* and had practiced law
until he migrated to Canada in 9'': for medical reasons. ;e acquired Canadian
citizenship in (**< to avail of the medical benefits provided to Canadian citizens, but re&
acquired his Philippine citizenship in (**2.