8C8LLM A8LAS ln LLCAL L1PlCS CASLS #1 | lZC8LLLL 1 uLCC | 1

Gk No 1S948688 November 2S 2003

kLSIDLN1 ICSLn LILkCI1C LS1kADA Petitioner v 1nL nCNCkA8LL SANDIGAN8AAN
SLCIAL DIVISICN nCN MINI1A CnICCNA2AkIC nCN LDIL8Lk1C SANDCVAL nCN
1LkLSI1A LLCNAkDCDL CAS1kC and 1nL LCLL CI 1nL nILIINLS kespondents
8 L S C L u 1 l C n
lk cuklAM
Cn 23 SepLember 2003 Lhls CourL lssued lLs resoluLlon ln Lhe abovenumbered case lL
read
1he case for conslderaLlon has been broughL Lo Lhls CourL vlo a eLlLlon for cettlototl under
8ule 63 of Lhe 8ules of CourL flled by !oseph L[erclLo LsLrada acLlng Lhrough hls counsel
ALLorney Alan l agula agalnsL Lhe Sandlganbayan eL al 1he eLlLlon prays
1 1haL Chlef !usLlce uavlde and Lhe resL of Lhe members of Lhe Ponorable CourL
dlsquallfy Lhemselves from hearlng and decldlng Lhls peLlLlon
2 1haL Lhe assalled resoluLlons of Lhe Sandlganbayan be vacaLed and seL aslde
and
3 1haL Crlmlnal Cases no 26338 no 26363 and no 26903 pendlng before Lhe
Sandlganbayan be dlsmlssed for lack of [urlsdlcLlon
ALLorney Alan l agula speaklng for peLlLloner asserLs LhaL Lhe lnhlblLlon of Lhe members
of Lhe Supreme CourL from hearlng Lhe peLlLlon ls called for under 8ule 310 of Lhe Code of
!udlclal ConducL prohlblLlng [usLlces or [udges from parLlclpaLlng ln any parLlsan pollLlcal
acLlvlLy whlch proscrlpLlon accordlng Lo hlm Lhe [usLlces have vlolaLed by aLLendlng Lhe
LuSA 2 8ally and by auLhorlzlng Lhe assumpLlon of vlceresldenL Clorla Macapagal Arroyo
Lo Lhe resldency ln vlolaLlon of Lhe 1987 ConsLlLuLlon eLlLloner conLends LhaL Lhe
[usLlces have Lhereby pre[udged a case LhaL would assall Lhe legallLy of Lhe acL Laken by
resldenL Arroyo 1he subsequenL declslon of Lhe CourL ln sttoJo v Attoyo %333 SC8A 432
and 336 SC8A 108) ls peLlLloner sLaLes a paLenL mockery of [usLlce and due process
ALLorney agula flrsL made hls appearance for peLlLloner when he flled an Cmnlbus MoLlon
on 19 May 2003 before Lhe Sandlganbayan asklng LhaL Lhe appolnLmenL of counsels Je
offlclo %slc) be declared fooctos offlclo and LhaL belng Lhe now counsel Je potte he be
noLlfled of all subsequenL proceedlngs ln Crlmlnal Cases no 26338 no 26363 and no
26903 pendlng Lhereln llnally ALLorney agula asked LhaL all Lhe foregolng crlmlnal cases
agalnsL hls cllenL be dlsmlssed
uurlng Lhe hearlng of Lhe Cmnlbus MoLlon on 30 May 2003 peLlLloner presenLed Lo Lhe
courL several porLlons of Lhe book enLlLled 8eformlng Lhe !udlclary wrlLLen by !usLlce
ArLemlo anganlban Lo be parL of Lhe evldence for Lhe defense Cn 9 !une 2003 peLlLloner
flled a moLlon pleadlng among oLher Lhlngs LhaL
a) x x x resldenL LsLrada be granLed Lhe opporLunlLy Lo prove Lhe LruLh of Lhe
sLaLemenLs conLalned ln !usLlce ArLemlo anganlbans book 8LlC8MlnC 1PL
!uulClA8? ln relaLlon Lo Lhe pre[udgmenL commlLLed by Lhe Supreme CourL [usLlces
agalnsL resldenL LsLrada ln Lhe sub[ecL case/s of sttoJo v Attoyo 333 SC8A 432
and 336 SC8A 108 and
b) A sobpoeoo oJ testlflcooJom and Joces tecom be lssued Lo !usLlce ArLemlo
anganlban !usLlce AnLonlo Carplo !usLlce 8enaLo Corona SecreLary Angelo 8eyes
of Lhe ueparLmenL of naLlonal uefense vlce resldenL Clorla MacapagalArroyo
SenaLor Aqulllno lmenLel !r and Chlef !usLlce Pllarlo uavlde !r for Lhem Lo LesLlfy
and brlng whaLever supporLlng documenLs Lhey may have ln relaLlon Lo Lhelr dlrecL
and lndlrecL parLlclpaLlon ln Lhe proclamaLlon of vlce resldenL Clorla Macapagal
Arroyo on !anuary 20 2001 as clLed ln Lhe book of !usLlce anganlban lncludlng Lhe
maLerlal evenLs LhaL led Lo LhaL proclamaLlon and Lhe rullng/s ln Lhe sttoJo vs
Attoyo supra %8ollo pp 67)
1he LruLh referred Lo ln paragraph a) of Lhe rellef soughL ln Lhe moLlon of peLlLloner
perLalns Lo whaL he clalms should have been lncluded ln Lhe resoluLlon of Lhe
Sandlganbayan vlz
1he requesL of Lhe movanL ls slmply for Lhe CourL Lo lnclude ln lLs !olnL 8esoluLlon Lhe
18u1P of Lhe acLs of Chlef !usLlce uavlde eL al lasL !anuary 20 2001 ln
a) golng Lo LuSA 2
b) auLhorlzlng Lhe proclamaLlon of vlceresldenL Arroyo as resldenL on Lhe
ground of permanenL dlsablllLy even wlLhouL proof of compllance wlLh Lhe
correspondlng consLlLuLlonal condlLlons eg wrlLLen declaraLlon by elLher Lhe
resldenL or ma[orlLy of hls cablneL and
c) acLually proclalmlng vlceresldenL Arroyo on LhaL same ground of permanenL
dlsablllLy
lL ls paLenLly unreasonable for Lhe CourL Lo refuse Lo lnclude Lhese maLerlal facLs whlch
are obvlously undenlable 8esldes lL ls Lhe only defense of resldenL LsLrada %eLlLlon
8ollo pp 1314)
Cn 2 !uly 2003 Lhe Sandlganbayan lssued an order denylng Lhe foregolng moLlon as well
as Lhe moLlon Lo dlsmlss flled by peLlLloner lorLhwlLh peLlLloner flled a Mosyooq
looqtekooslJetosyoo of Lhe foregolng order Accordlng Lo ALLorney agula durlng Lhe
hearlng of hls Mosyooq looqtekooslJetosyoo on 11 !une 2003 Lhe Lhree [usLlces of Lhe
Speclal ulvlslon of Lhe Sandlganbayan made manlfesL Lhelr blas and parLlallLy agalnsL hls
cllenL 1hus he averred resldlng !usLlce MlnlLa v Chlconazarlo supposedly employed
foul and dlsrespecLful language when she blurLed ouL Moqmomokbo oomoo komloq qoqo
%8ollo p 13) and !usLlce 1ereslLa Leonardoue CasLro characLerlzed Lhe moLlon as
lnslgnlflcanL even before Lhe prosecuLlon could flle lLs commenLs or opposlLlon LhereLo
%8ollo p 12) remarklng ln open courL LhaL Lo granL LsLradas moLlon would resulL ln chaos
and dlsorder (lblJ) rompLed by Lhe alleged blas and parLlal aLLlLude of Lhe
Sandlganbayan [usLlces ALLorney agula flled on 14 !uly 2003 a moLlon for Lhelr
dlsquallflcaLlon Cn 31 !uly 2003 peLlLloner recelved Lhe Lwo assalled resoluLlons le Lhe
resoluLlon %romulgaLed on 30 !uly 2003) of 28 !uly 2003 denylng peLlLloners moLlon for
reconslderaLlon of 6 !uly 2003 vlz
WPL8LlC8L premlses consldered accusedmovanL !oseph L[erclLo LsLradas Mosyooq
looqtekooslJetosyoo %na LumuLukoy sa !olnL 8esoluLlon ng Pulyo 2 2003) daLed !uly 6
2003 ls uLnlLu for lack of merlL %8ollo p 37)
and Lhe resoluLlon %romulgaLed on 30 !uly 2003) of 23 !uly 2003 denylng peLlLloners
moLlon for dlsquallflcaLlon of 14 !uly 2003 vlz
WPL8LlC8L presclndlng from all Lhe foregolng Lhe CourL for wanL of merlL hereby
uLnlLS Lhe MoLlon for ulsquallflcaLlon %8ollo p 48)
1he lnsLanL peLlLlon assalllng Lhe foregolng orders musL be ulSMlSSLu for gross
lnsufflclency ln subsLance and for uLLer lack of merlL 1he Sandlganbayan commlLLed no
grave abuse of dlscreLlon an lndlspensable requlremenL Lo warranL a recourse Lo Lhe
exLraordlnary rellef of peLlLlon for cettlototl under 8ule 63 of Lhe 8evlsed 8ules of Clvll
rocedure Cn Lhe one hand peLlLloner would dlsclalm Lhe auLhorlLy and [urlsdlcLlon of Lhe
members of Lhls Lrlbunal and on Lhe oLher hand he would elevaLe Lhe peLlLlon now before
lL Lo challenge Lhe Lwo resoluLlons of Lhe Sandlganbayan Pe denounces Lhe declslon as
belng a paLenL mockery of [usLlce and due process ALLorney agula wenL on Lo sLaLe LhaL
1he acL of Lhe publlc offlcer lf LAWluL ls Lhe acL of Lhe publlc offlce 8uL Lhe acL of Lhe
publlc offlcer lf unLAWluL ls noL Lhe acL of Lhe publlc offlce ConsequenLly Lhe acL of Lhe
[usLlces lf LAWluL ls Lhe acL of Lhe Supreme CourL 8uL Lhe acL of Lhe [usLlces lf
unLAWluL ls noL Lhe acL of Lhe Supreme CourL lL ls submlLLed LhaL Lhe ueclslon ln
LS18AuA vs A88C?C belng paLenLly unlawful ln vlew of 8ule 310 of Lhe CCuL Cl
!uulClAL CCnuuC1 ls noL Lhe acL of Lhe Supreme CourL buL ls merely Lhe wrong or
Lrespass of Lhose lndlvldual !usLlces who falsely spoke and acLed ln Lhe name of Lhe
Supreme CourL %urbano vs Chavez 183 SC8A 347) lurLhermore lL would seem absurd
Lo allow Lhe !usLlces Lo use Lhe name of Lhe Supreme CourL as a shleld for Lhelr unLAWluL
acL %eLlLlon 8ollo p 11)
CrlLlclsm or commenL made ln good falLh on Lhe correcLness or wrongness soundness or
unsoundness of a declslon of Lhe CourL would be welcome for lf wellfounded such
reacLlon can enllghLen Lhe courL and conLrlbuLe Lo Lhe correcLlon of an error lf commlLLed
%ln 8e SoLLo 82 hll 393)
1he rullng ln sttoJo v Attoyo belng a flnal [udgmenL has long puL Lo end any quesLlon
perLalnlng Lo Lhe legallLy of Lhe ascenslon of Arroyo lnLo Lhe presldency 8y revlvlng Lhe
lssue on Lhe valldlLy of Lhe assumpLlon of Mme Clorla MacapagalArroyo Lo Lhe
presldency ALLorney agula ls valnly seeklng Lo breaLhe llfe lnLo Lhe carcass of a long dead
lssue
ALLorney agula has noL llmlLed hls dlscusslons Lo Lhe merlLs of hls cllenLs case wlLhln Lhe
[udlclal forum lndeed he has repeaLed hls assaulL on Lhe CourL ln boLh broadcasL and prlnL
medla 8ule 1302 of Lhe Code of rofesslonal 8esponslblllLy prohlblLs a member of Lhe bar
from maklng such publlc sLaLemenLs on any pendlng case Lendlng Lo arouse publlc oplnlon
for or agalnsL a parLy 8y hls acLs ALLorney agula may have sLoked Lhe flres of publlc
dlssenslon and posed a poLenLlally dangerous LhreaL Lo Lhe admlnlsLraLlon of [usLlce
lL ls noL Lhe flrsL Llme LhaL ALLorney agula has exhlblLed slmllar conducL Lowards Lhe
Supreme CourL ln a leLLer daLed 30 !une 2003 addressed Lo Chlef !usLlce Pllarlo C
uavlde !r and AssoclaLe !usLlce ArLemlo v anganlban he has demanded ln a clearly
dlsgulsed form of forum shopplng for several advlsory oplnlons on maLLers pendlng before
Lhe Sandlganbayan ln a resoluLlon daLed 08 !uly 2003 Lhls CourL has sLrongly warned
ALLorney Alan agula on paln of dlsclpllnary sancLlon Lo deslsL from furLher maklng
dlrecLly or lndlrecLly slmllar submlsslons Lo Lhls CourL or Lo lLs Members 8uL unmlndful of
Lhe wellmeanL admonlLlon Lo hlm by Lhe CourL ALLorney agula appears Lo perslsL on end
WPL8LlC8L Lhe lnsLanL peLlLlon for cettlototl ls ulSMlSSLu and Lhe CourL hereby orders
ALLorney Alan agula counsel for peLlLloner !oseph L[erclLo LsLrada Lo SPCW CAuSL
wlLhln Len days from noLlce hereof why he should noL be sancLloned for conducL
unbecomlng a lawyer and an offlcer of Lhe CourL
Cn 10 CcLober 2003 ALLy agula submlLLed hls compllance wlLh Lhe showcause order ln
a Lhreepage pleadlng ALLy agula ln an obsLlnaLe dlsplay of deflance repeaLed hls earller
clalm of pollLlcal parLlsanshlp agalnsL Lhe members of Lhe CourL
Canon 310 of Lhe Code of !udlclal ConducL whlch ALLy agula has Llrelessly quoLed Lo glve
some semblance of valldlLy for hls groundless aLLack on Lhe CourL and lLs members
provldes
kole 510 A [udge ls enLlLled Lo enLerLaln personal vlews on pollLlcal quesLlons 8uL Lo
avold susplclon of pollLlcal parLlsanshlp a [udge shall noL make pollLlcal speeches
conLrlbuLe Lo parLy funds publlcly endorse candldaLes for pollLlcal offlce or parLlclpaLe ln
oLher art|san o||t|ca| act|v|t|es
SecLlon 79%b) of Lhe Cmnlbus LlecLlon Code deflnes Lhe Lerm parLlsan pollLlcal acLlvlLles
Lhe law sLaLes
1he Lerm elecLlon campalgn or art|san o||t|ca| act|v|ty refers Lo an acL deslgned Lo
promoLe Lhe elecLlon or defeaL of a parLlcular candldaLe or candldaLes Lo a publlc offlce
whlch shall lnclude
%1) lormlng organlzaLlons assoclaLlons clubs commlLLees or oLher groups of
persons for Lhe purpose of sollclLlng voLes and/or underLaklng any campalgn
for or agalnsL a candldaLe
%2) Poldlng pollLlcal caucuses conferences meeLlngs rallles parades or oLher
slmllar assemblles for Lhe purpose of sollclLlng voLes and/or underLaklng any
campalgn or propaganda for or agalnsL a candldaLe
8C8LLM A8LAS ln LLCAL L1PlCS CASLS #1 | lZC8LLLL 1 uLCC | 2
%3) Maklng speeches announcemenLs or commenLarles or holdlng lnLervlews for
or agalnsL Lhe elecLlon of any candldaLe for publlc offlce
%4) ubllshlng or dlsLrlbuLlng campalgn llLeraLure or maLerlals deslgned Lo supporL
or oppose Lhe elecLlon of any candldaLe or
%3) ulrecLly or lndlrecLly sollclLlng voLes pledges or supporL for or agalnsL a
candldaLe
lL should be clear LhaL Lhe phrase parLlsan pollLlcal acLlvlLles ln lLs sLaLuLory conLexL
relaLes Lo acLs deslgned Lo cause Lhe success or Lhe defeaL of a parLlcular candldaLe or
candldaLes who have flled cerLlflcaLes of candldacy Lo a publlc offlce ln an elecLlon 1he
Laklng of an oaLh of offlce by any lncomlng resldenL of Lhe 8epubllc before Lhe Chlef
!usLlce of Lhe hlllpplnes ls a LradlLlonal offlclal funcLlon of Lhe PlghesL MaglsLraLe 1he
assalled presence of oLher [usLlces of Lhe CourL aL such an evenL could be no dlfferenL from
Lhelr appearance ln such oLher offlclal funcLlons as aLLendlng Lhe Annual SLaLe of Lhe
naLlon Address by Lhe resldenL of Lhe hlllpplnes before Lhe LeglslaLlve ueparLmenL
1he Supreme CourL does noL clalm lnfalllblllLy lL wlll noL denounce crlLlclsm made by
anyone agalnsL Lhe CourL for lf wellfounded can Lruly have consLrucLlve effecLs ln Lhe
Lask of Lhe CourL buL lL wlll noL counLenance any wrongdolng nor allow Lhe eroslon of our
peoples falLh ln Lhe [udlclal sysLem leL alone by Lhose who have been prlvlleged by lL Lo
pracLlce law ln Lhe hlllpplnes
Canon 11 of Lhe Code of rofesslonal 8esponslblllLy mandaLes LhaL Lhe lawyer should
observe and malnLaln Lhe respecL due Lo Lhe courLs and [udlclal offlcers and lndeed
should lnslsL on slmllar conducL by oLhers ln llberally lmpuLlng slnlsLer and devlous
moLlves and quesLlonlng Lhe lmparLlallLy lnLegrlLy and auLhorlLy of Lhe members of Lhe
CourL ALLy agula has only succeeded ln seeklng Lo lmpede obsLrucL and perverL Lhe
dlspensaLlon of [usLlce
1he attent|on of Atty agu|a has a|so been ca||ed to the mandate of ku|e 1302 of the
Code of rofess|ona| kesons|b|||ty roh|b|t|ng a member of the bar from mak|ng such
ub||c statements on a case that may tend to arouse ub||c o|n|on for or aga|nst a arty
kegrettab|y Atty agu|a has ers|sted |n |gnor|ng the Courts we||meant admon|t|on
Cn the 7th Setember 2003 |ssue of the Da||y 1r|bune Atty agu|a wrote to say
What |s the |ega| effect of that v|o|at|on of res|dent Lstradas r|ght to due rocess of
|aw? It renders the dec|s|on |n Lstrada vs Arroyo unconst|tut|ona| and vo|d 1he
rud|ments of fa|r |ay were not observed 1here was no fa|r |ay s|nce |t aears that
when res|dent Lstrada f||ed h|s et|t|on Ch|ef Iust|ce Dav|de and h|s fe||ow [ust|ces had
a|ready comm|tted to the other arty GMA w|th a [udgment a|ready made and wa|t|ng
to be forma||zed after the ||t|gants sha|| have undergone the charade of a forma| hear|ng
After the [ust|ces had author|zed the roc|amat|on of GMA as res|dent can they be
exected to vo|untar||y adm|t the unconst|tut|ona||ty of the|r own act?
unrelenLlngly ALLy agula has conLlnued Lo make publlc sLaLemenLs of llke naLure
1he CourL has already warned ALLy agula on paln of dlsclpllnary sancLlon Lo become
mlndful of hls grave responslblllLles as a lawyer and as an offlcer of Lhe CourL ApparenLly
he has chosen noL Lo aL all Lake heed
WnLkLICkL ALLorney Alan agula ls hereby lndeflnlLely suspended from Lhe pracLlce of
law effecLlve upon hls recelpL hereof for conducL unbecomlng a lawyer and an offlcer of
Lhe CourL
LeL coples of Lhls resoluLlon be furnlshed Lhe Cfflce of Lhe 8ar ConfldanL Lhe lnLegraLed
8ar of Lhe hlllpplnes and all courLs of Lhe land Lhrough Lhe Cfflce of Lhe CourL
AdmlnlsLraLor
SC CkDLkLD
fvide lr cl Puno vituq Pfnqfnibfn uisumbinq Ynfres5fntifqo 5fndovf
6utierret 4ustrifMfrtinet coronf cfrpioMorfes cfejo 5r 4tcunf fnd 1inqf ll
concur
cfrpio l no pfrt

Gk No 176278 Iune 2S 2010
ALAN I AGUIA eLlLloner vs CIIICL CI 1nL kLSIDLN1 SLCkL1Ak CI ICkLIGN
AIIAIkS and nCN nILAkIC DAVIDL Ik |n h|s caac|ty as ermanent keresentat|ve of
the h||||nes to the Un|ted Nat|ons 8espondenLs
8 L S C L u 1 l C n
CAkIC l
AL lssue ls Lhe power of Congress Lo llmlL Lhe resldenL's prerogaLlve Lo nomlnaLe
ambassadors by leglslaLlng age quallflcaLlons desplLe Lhe consLlLuLlonal rule llmlLlng
Congress' role ln Lhe appolnLmenL of ambassadors Lo Lhe Commlsslon on AppolnLmenLs'
conflrmaLlon of nomlnees
1
Powever for lack of a case or conLroversy grounded on
peLlLloner's lack of capaclLy Lo sue and mooLness
2
we dlsmlss Lhe peLlLlon wlLhouL
reachlng Lhe merlLs deferrlng for anoLher day Lhe resoluLlon of Lhe quesLlon ralsed novel
and fundamenLal lL may be
eLlLloner Alan l agula %peLlLloner) as clLlzen and Laxpayer flled Lhls orlglnal acLlon for
Lhe wrlL of cerLlorarl Lo lnvalldaLe resldenL Clorla MacapagalArroyo's nomlnaLlon of
respondenL former Chlef !usLlce Pllarlo C uavlde !r %respondenL uavlde) as ermanenL
8epresenLaLlve Lo Lhe unlLed naLlons %un) for vlolaLlon of SecLlon 23 of 8epubllc AcL no
7137 %8A 7137) Lhe hlllpplne lorelgn Servlce AcL of 1991 eLlLloner argues LhaL
respondenL uavlde's age aL LhaL Llme of hls nomlnaLlon ln March 2006 70 dlsquallfles hlm
from holdlng hls posL eLlLloner grounds hls argumenL on SecLlon 23 of 8A 7137 pegglng
Lhe mandaLory reLlremenL age of all offlcers and employees of Lhe ueparLmenL of lorelgn
Affalrs %ulA) aL 63
3
eLlLloner Lheorlzes LhaL SecLlon 23 lmposes an absoluLe rule for all
ulA employees career or noncareer Lhus respondenL uavlde's enLry lnLo Lhe ulA ranks
dlscrlmlnaLes agalnsL Lhe resL of Lhe ulA offlclals and employees
ln Lhelr separaLe CommenLs respondenL uavlde Lhe Cfflce of Lhe resldenL and Lhe
SecreLary of lorelgn Affalrs %respondenLs) ralse Lhreshold lssues agalnsL Lhe peLlLlon llrsL
Lhey quesLlon peLlLloner's sLandlng Lo brlng Lhls sulL because of hls lndeflnlLe suspenslon
from Lhe pracLlce of law
4
Second Lhe Cfflce of Lhe resldenL and Lhe SecreLary of lorelgn
Affalrs %publlc respondenLs) argue LhaL nelLher peLlLloner's clLlzenshlp nor hls Laxpayer
sLaLus vesLs hlm wlLh sLandlng Lo quesLlon respondenL uavlde's appolnLmenL because
peLlLloner remalns wlLhouL personal and subsLanLlal lnLeresL ln Lhe ouLcome of a sulL whlch
does noL lnvolve Lhe Laxlng power of Lhe sLaLe or Lhe lllegal dlsbursemenL of publlc funds
1hlrd publlc respondenLs quesLlon Lhe proprleLy of Lhls peLlLlon conLendlng LhaL Lhls sulL
ls ln LruLh a peLlLlon for quo warranLo whlch can only be flled by a conLender for Lhe offlce
ln quesLlon
Cn Lhe ellglblllLy of respondenL uavlde respondenLs counLer LhaL SecLlon 23's mandaLed
reLlremenL age applles only Lo career dlplomaLs excludlng from lLs amblL noncareer
appolnLees such as respondenL uavlde
1he peLlLlon presenLs no case or conLroversy for peLlLloner's lack of capaclLy Lo sue and
mooLness
llrsL eLlLloner's clLlzenshlp and Laxpayer sLaLus do noL cloLhe hlm wlLh sLandlng Lo brlng
Lhls sulL We have granLed access Lo clLlzen's sulLs on Lhe narrowesL of ground when Lhey
ralse lssues of LranscendenLal lmporLance calllng for urgenL resoluLlon
3
1hree facLors are
relevanL ln our deLermlnaLlon Lo allow Lhlrd parLy sulLs so we can reach and resolve Lhe
merlLs of Lhe cruclal lssues ralsed Lhe characLer of funds or asseLs lnvolved ln Lhe
conLroversy a clear dlsregard of consLlLuLlonal or sLaLuLory prohlblLlon and Lhe lack of any
oLher parLy wlLh a more dlrecL and speclflc lnLeresL Lo brlng Lhe sulL
6
none of peLlLloner's
allegaLlons comes close Lo any of Lhese parameLers lndeed lmpllclL ln a peLlLlon seeklng a
[udlclal lnLerpreLaLlon of a sLaLuLory provlslon on Lhe reLlremenL of governmenL personnel
occasloned by lLs seemlngly amblguous crafLlng ls Lhe admlsslon LhaL a clear dlsregard of
consLlLuLlonal or sLaLuLory prohlblLlon ls absenL lurLher Lhe ulA ls noL devold of
personnel wlLh more dlrecL and speclflc lnLeresL Lo brlng Lhe sulL Career ambassadors
forced Lo leave Lhe servlce aL Lhe mandaLed reLlremenL age unquesLlonably hold lnLeresL
far more subsLanLlal and personal Lhan peLlLloner's generallzed lnLeresL as a clLlzen ln
ensurlng enforcemenL of Lhe law1ovvpbl1
1he same concluslon holds Lrue for peLlLloner's lnvocaLlon of hls Laxpayer sLaLus
1axpayers' conLrlbuLlons Lo Lhe sLaLe's coffers enLlLle Lhem Lo quesLlon approprlaLlons for
expendlLures whlch are clalmed Lo be unconsLlLuLlonal or lllegal
7
Powever Lhe salarles
and beneflLs respondenL uavlde recelved commensuraLe Lo hls dlplomaLlc rank are flxed by
law and oLher execuLlve lssuances Lhe fundlng for whlch was lncluded ln Lhe
approprlaLlons for Lhe ulA's LoLal expendlLures conLalned ln Lhe annual budgeLs Congress
passed slnce respondenL uavlde's nomlnaLlon Pavlng assumed offlce under color of
auLhorlLy %appolnLmenL) respondenL uavlde ls aL leasL a de facLo offlcer enLlLled Lo draw
salary
8
negaLlng peLlLloner's clalm of lllegal expendlLure of scarce publlc funds
9

Second An lncapaclLy Lo brlng legal acLlons pecullar Lo peLlLloner also obLalns eLlLloner's
suspenslon from Lhe pracLlce of law bars hlm from performlng any acLlvlLy ln or ouL of
courL whlch requlres Lhe appllcaLlon of law legal procedure knowledge Lralnlng and
experlence
10
CerLalnly preparlng a peLlLlon ralslng carefully crafLed argumenLs on equal
proLecLlon grounds and employlng hlghly legallsLlc rules of sLaLuLory consLrucLlon Lo parse
SecLlon 23 of 8A 7137 falls wlLhln Lhe proscrlbed conducL
1hlrd A supervenlng evenL has rendered Lhls case academlc and Lhe rellef prayed for
mooL 8espondenL uavlde reslgned hls posL aL Lhe un on 1 Aprll 2010
WPL8LlC8L we ulSMlSS Lhe peLlLlon
SC C8uL8Lu

Gk No 100113 Setember 3 1991
kLNA1C CAL1ANC peLlLloner vs CnkIS1IAN MCNSCD nCN ICVI1C k SALCNGA
CCMMISSICN CN ACIN1MLN1 and nCN GUILLLkMC CAkAGUL |n h|s caac|ty as
Secretary of 8udget and Management respondenLs
keooto l coyetooo fot ooJ lo bls owo bebolf
5obloo Acot It ooJ Myleoe CotcloAlbooo cocooosel fot petltlooet
AkAS lp
We are faced here wlLh a conLroversy of farreachlng proporLlons Whlle osLenslbly only
legal lssues are lnvolved Lhe CourLs declslon ln Lhls case would lndublLably have a
profound effecL on Lhe pollLlcal aspecL of our naLlonal exlsLence
1he 1987 ConsLlLuLlon provldes ln SecLlon 1 %1) ArLlcle lxC
1here shall be a Commlsslon on LlecLlons composed of a Chalrman and slx
Commlssloners who shall be naLuralborn clLlzens of Lhe hlllpplnes and aL Lhe Llme
of Lhelr appolnLmenL aL leasL LhlrLyflve years of age holders of a college degree
and musL noL have been candldaLes for any elecLlve poslLlon ln Lhe lmmedlaLely
precedlng elecLlons Powever a ma[orlLy Lhereof lncludlng Lhe Chalrman shall be
members of Lhe hlllpplne 8ar who have been engaged ln Lhe pracLlce of law for aL
leasL Len years %Lmphasls supplled)
8C8LLM A8LAS ln LLCAL L1PlCS CASLS #1 | lZC8LLLL 1 uLCC | 3
1he aforequoLed provlslon ls paLLerned afLer SecLlon l%l) ArLlcle xllC of Lhe 1973
ConsLlLuLlon whlch slmllarly provldes
1here shall be an lndependenL Commlsslon on LlecLlons composed of a Chalrman and elghL
Commlssloners who shall be naLuralborn clLlzens of Lhe hlllpplnes and aL Lhe Llme of
Lhelr appolnLmenL aL leasL LhlrLyflve years of age and holders of a college degree
Powever a ma[orlLy Lhereof lncludlng Lhe Chalrman shall be members of Lhe hlllpplne
8ar wbo bove beeo eoqoqeJ lo tbe ptoctlce of low fot ot leost teo yeots %Lmphasls
supplled)
8egreLLably however Lhere seems Lo be no [urlsprudence as Lo whaL consLlLuLes pracLlce
of law as a legal quallflcaLlon Lo an appolnLlve offlce
8lack deflnes pracLlce of law as
1he rendlLlon of servlces requlrlng Lhe knowledge and Lhe appllcaLlon of legal
prlnclples and Lechnlque Lo serve Lhe lnLeresL of anoLher wlLh hls consenL lL ls noL
llmlLed Lo appearlng ln courL or advlslng and asslsLlng ln Lhe conducL of llLlgaLlon
buL embraces Lhe preparaLlon of pleadlngs and oLher papers lncldenL Lo acLlons and
speclal proceedlngs conveyanclng Lhe preparaLlon of legal lnsLrumenLs of all klnds
and Lhe glvlng of all legal advlce Lo cllenLs lL embraces all advlce Lo cllenLs and all
acLlons Laken for Lhem ln maLLers connecLed wlLh Lhe law An aLLorney engages ln
Lhe pracLlce of law by malnLalnlng an offlce where he ls held ouL Lo bean aLLorney
uslng a leLLerhead descrlblng hlmself as an aLLorney counsellng cllenLs ln legal
maLLers negoLlaLlng wlLh opposlng counsel abouL pendlng llLlgaLlon and flxlng and
collecLlng fees for servlces rendered by hls assoclaLe %8locks low ulctloooty 3rd ed)
1he pracLlce of law ls noL llmlLed Lo Lhe conducL of cases ln courL %looJ 1ltle Absttoct ooJ
1tost co v uwotkeo 129 Chlo SL 23 193 nL 630) A person ls also consldered Lo be ln
Lhe pracLlce of law when he
for valuable conslderaLlon engages ln Lhe buslness of advlslng person flrms
assoclaLlons or corporaLlons as Lo Lhelr rlghLs under Lhe law or appears ln a
represenLaLlve capaclLy as an advocaLe ln proceedlngs pendlng or prospecLlve
before any courL commlssloner referee board body commlLLee or commlsslon
consLlLuLed by law or auLhorlzed Lo seLLle conLroversles and Lhere ln such
represenLaLlve capaclLy performs any acL or acLs for Lhe purpose of obLalnlng or
defendlng Lhe rlghLs of Lhelr cllenLs under Lhe law CLherwlse sLaLed one who ln a
represenLaLlve capaclLy engages ln Lhe buslness of advlslng cllenLs as Lo Lhelr rlghLs
under Lhe law or whlle so engaged performs any acL or acLs elLher ln courL or
ouLslde of courL for LhaL purpose ls engaged ln Lhe pracLlce of law %5tote ex tel
Mckltttlck vc5 uoJley ooJ co 102 SW 2d 893 340 Mo 832)
1hls CourL ln Lhe case of lblllpploe lowyets Assoclotloo vAqtovo %103 hll 173176177)
sLaLed
1be ptoctlce of low ls noL llmlLed Lo Lhe conducL of cases or lltlqotloo lo coott lL
embraces Lhe preparaLlon of pleadlngs and oLher papers lncldenL Lo acLlons and
speclal proceedlngs Lhe managemenL of such acLlons and proceedlngs on behalf of
cllenLs before [udges and courLs and ln addlLlon conveylng ln general all oJvlce to
clleots and all acLlon Laken for Lhem ln maLLers coooecteJ wltb tbe low lncorporaLlon
servlces assessmenL and condemnaLlon servlces conLemplaLlng an appearance
before a [udlclal body Lhe foreclosure of a morLgage enforcemenL of a credlLors
clalm ln bankrupLcy and lnsolvency proceedlngs and conducLlng proceedlngs ln
aLLachmenL and ln maLLers of esLaLe and guardlanshlp have been held Lo consLlLuLe
law pracLlce as do Lhe preparaLlon and drafLlng of legal lnsLrumenLs wbete tbe wotk
Jooe lovolves tbe Jetetmlootloo by tbe ttoloeJ leqol mloJ of tbe leqol effect of focts
ooJ cooJltloos %3 Am !r p 262 263) %Lmphasls supplled)
ltoctlce of low under modem condlLlons conslsLs ln no small parL of work performed
ouLslde of any courL and havlng no lmmedlaLe relaLlon Lo proceedlngs ln courL lL
embraces conveyanclng Lhe glvlng of legal advlce on a large varleLy of sub[ecLs and
Lhe preparaLlon and execuLlon of legal lnsLrumenLs coverlng an exLenslve fleld of
buslness and LrusL relaLlons and oLher affalrs Altbooqb tbese ttoosoctloos moy bove
oo Jltect coooectloo wltb coott ptoceeJloqs tbey ote olwoys sobject to become
lovolveJ lo lltlqotloo 1hey requlre ln many aspecLs a hlgh degree of legal sklll a wlde
experlence wlLh men and affalrs and greaL capaclLy for adapLaLlon Lo dlfflculL and
complex slLuaLlons 1hese cusLomary funcLlons of an aLLorney or counselor aL law
bear an lnLlmaLe relaLlon Lo Lhe admlnlsLraLlon of [usLlce by Lhe courLs no valld
dlsLlncLlon so far as concerns Lhe quesLlon seL forLh ln Lhe order can be drawn
beLween LhaL parL of Lhe work of Lhe lawyer whlch lnvolves appearance ln courL and
LhaL parL whlch lnvolves advlce and drafLlng of lnsLrumenLs ln hls offlce lL ls of
lmporLance Lo Lhe welfare of Lhe publlc LhaL Lhese manlfold cusLomary funcLlons be
performed by persons possessed of adequaLe learnlng and sklll of sound moral
characLer and acLlng aL all Llmes under Lhe heavy LrusL obllgaLlons Lo cllenLs whlch
resLs upon all aLLorneys %Moran commeots oo tbe koles of coott vol 3 1933 ed
p 663666 clLlng lo te Oploloo of tbe Iostlces Mass 194 nL 313 quoLed ln kboJe
ls 8ot Assoc v Aotomoblle 5etvlce Assoc 8l 179 A 139144) %Lmphasls ours)
1he unlverslLy of Lhe hlllpplnes Law CenLer ln conducLlng orlenLaLlon brleflng for new
lawyers %19741973) llsLed Lhe dlmenslons of Lhe pracLlce of law ln even broader Lerms as
advocacy counselllng and publlc servlce
Cne may be a pracLlclng aLLorney ln followlng any llne of employmenL ln Lhe
professlon lf whaL he does exacLs knowledge of Lhe law and ls of a klnd usual for
aLLorneys engaglng ln Lhe acLlve pracLlce of Lhelr professlon and he follows some
one or more llnes of employmenL such as Lhls he ls a pracLlclng aLLorney aL law
wlLhln Lhe meanlng of Lhe sLaLuLe %8ott v cotJell 133 nW 312)
racLlce of law means any acLlvlLy ln or ouL of courL whlch requlres Lhe appllcaLlon of law
legal procedure knowledge Lralnlng and experlence 1o engage ln Lhe pracLlce of law ls Lo
perform Lhose acLs whlch are characLerlsLlcs of Lhe professlon Cenerally Lo pracLlce law ls
Lo glve noLlce or render any klnd of servlce whlch devlce or servlce requlres Lhe use ln any
degree of legal knowledge or sklll %111 AL8 23)
1he followlng records of Lhe 1986 ConsLlLuLlonal Commlsslon show LhaL lL has adopLed a
llberal lnLerpreLaLlon of Lhe Lerm pracLlce of law
M8 lCZ 8efore we suspend Lhe sesslon may l make a manlfesLaLlon whlch l
forgoL Lo do durlng our revlew of Lhe provlslons on Lhe Commlsslon on AudlL
May l be allowed Lo make a very brlef sLaLemenL?
1PL 8LSlulnC ClllCL8 %Mr !amlr)
1he Commlssloner wlll please proceed
M8 lCZ 1bls bos to Jo wltb tbe poollflcotloos of tbe membets of tbe
commlssloo oo AoJlt Amooq otbets tbe poollflcotloos ptovlJeJ fot by 5ectloo l
ls tbot 1bey most be Membets of tbe lblllpploe 8ot l om pootloq ftom tbe
ptovlsloo wbo bove beeo eoqoqeJ lo tbe ptoctlce of low fot ot leost teo
yeots
1o avold any mlsundersLandlng whlch would resulL ln excludlng members of Lhe 8ar
who are now employed ln Lhe CCA or Commlsslon on AudlL we woolJ llke to moke
tbe clotlflcotloo tbot tbls ptovlsloo oo poollflcotloos teqotJloq membets of tbe 8ot
Joes oot oecessotlly tefet ot lovolve octool ptoctlce of low ootslJe tbe cOA we bove
to lotetptet tbls to meoo tbot os looq os tbe lowyets wbo ote employeJ lo tbe cOA
ote osloq tbelt leqol koowleJqe ot leqol toleot lo tbelt tespectlve wotk wltblo cOA
tbeo tbey ote poollfleJ to be cooslJeteJ fot oppolotmeot os membets ot
commlsslooets eveo cboltmoo of tbe commlssloo oo AoJlt
1hls has been dlscussed by Lhe CommlLLee on ConsLlLuLlonal Commlsslons and
Agencles and we deem lL lmporLanL Lo Lake lL up on Lhe floor so LhaL Lhls
lnLerpreLaLlon may be made avallable whenever Lhls provlslon on Lhe quallflcaLlons
as regards members of Lhe hlllpplne 8ar engaglng ln Lhe pracLlce of law for aL leasL
Len years ls Laken up
M8 CLL Wlll Commlssloner loz yleld Lo [usL one quesLlon
M8 lCZ ?es Mr resldlng Cfflcer
M8 CLL ls be lo effect soyloq tbot setvlce lo tbe cOA by o lowyet ls
epolvoleot to tbe tepoltemeot of o low ptoctlce tbot ls set fottb lo tbe Attlcle oo
tbe commlssloo oo AoJlt?
M8 lCZ we most cooslJet tbe foct tbot tbe wotk of cOA oltbooqb lt ls
ooJltloq wlll oecessotlly lovolve leqol wotk lt wlll lovolve leqol wotk AoJ
tbetefote lowyets wbo ote employeJ lo cOA oow woolJ bove tbe oecessoty
poollflcotloos lo occotJooce wltb tbe ltovlsloo oo poollflcotloos ooJet oot
ptovlsloos oo tbe commlssloo oo AoJlt AoJ tbetefote tbe ooswet ls yes
M8 CLL ?es So LhaL Lhe consLrucLlon glven Lo Lhls ls LhaL Lhls ls equlvalenL Lo
Lhe pracLlce of law
M8 lCZ es Mt lteslJloq Offlcet
M8 CLL 1book yoo
% Lmphasls supplled)
SecLlon 1%1) ArLlcle lxu of Lhe 1987 ConsLlLuLlon provldes among oLhers LhaL Lhe
Chalrman and Lwo Commlssloners of Lhe Commlsslon on AudlL %CCA) should elLher be
cerLlfled publlc accounLanLs wlLh noL less Lhan Len years of audlLlng pracLlce or members
of Lhe hlllpplne 8ar who have been engaged ln Lhe ptoctlce of low for aL leasL Len years
%emphasls supplled)
Corollary Lo Lhls ls Lhe Lerm prlvaLe pracLlLloner and whlch ls ln many ways synonymous
wlLh Lhe word lawyer 1oday alLhough many lawyers do noL engage ln prlvaLe pracLlce lL
ls sLlll a facL LhaL Lhe ma[orlLy of lawyers are prlvaLe pracLlLloners %Cary Munneke
Oppottooltles lo low coteets vCM Career Porlzons llllnols 1986 p 13)
AL Lhls polnL lL mlghL be helpful Lo deflne ptlvote ptoctlce 1he Lerm as commonly
undersLood means an lndlvldual or organlzaLlon engaged ln Lhe buslness of dellverlng
legal servlces %lblJ) Lawyers who pracLlce alone are ofLen called sole pracLlLloners
Croups of lawyers are called flrms 1he flrm ls usually a parLnershlp and members of Lhe
flrm are Lhe parLners Some flrms may be organlzed as professlonal corporaLlons and Lhe
members called shareholders ln elLher case Lhe members of Lhe flrm are Lhe experlenced
aLLorneys ln mosL flrms Lhere are younger or more lnexperlenced salarled aLLorneyscalled
assoclaLes %lblJ)
1he LesL LhaL deflnes law pracLlce by looklng Lo LradlLlonal areas of law pracLlce ls
essenLlally LauLologous unhelpful deflnlng Lhe pracLlce of law as LhaL whlch lawyers do
%Charles W Wolfram MoJeto leqol tblcs WesL ubllshlng Co MlnnesoLa 1986 p 393)
1he pracLlce of law ls deflned as Lhe performance of any acLs ln or ouL of courL
commonly undersLood Lo be Lhe pracLlce of law %5tote 8ot Asso v coooectlcot 8ook
1tost co 143 Conn 222 140 A2d 863 870 1938 quoLlng Ctlevooce comm v loyoe
128 Conn 323 22 A2d 623 626 1941) 8ecause lawyers perform almosL every funcLlon
known ln Lhe commerclal and governmenLal realm such a deflnlLlon would obvlously be
Loo global Lo be workable%Wolfram op clt)
1he appearance of a lawyer ln llLlgaLlon ln behalf of a cllenL ls aL once Lhe mosL publlcly
famlllar role for lawyers as well as an uncommon role for Lhe average lawyer MosL lawyers
spend llLLle Llme ln courLrooms and a large percenLage spend Lhelr enLlre pracLlce wlLhouL
llLlgaLlng a case %lblJ p 393) noneLheless many lawyers do conLlnue Lo llLlgaLe and Lhe
llLlgaLlng lawyers role colors much of boLh Lhe publlc lmage and Lhe self percepLlon of Lhe
legal professlon %lblJ)
8C8LLM A8LAS ln LLCAL L1PlCS CASLS #1 | lZC8LLLL 1 uLCC | 4
ln Lhls regard Lhus Lhe domlnance of llLlgaLlon ln Lhe publlc mlnd reflecLs hlsLory noL
reallLy %lblJ) Why ls Lhls so? 8ecall LhaL Lhe laLe Alexander SyClp a corporaLe lawyer
once arLlculaLed on Lhe lmporLance of a lawyer as a buslness counselor ln Lhls wlse Lven
Loday Lhere are sLlll unlnformed laymen whose concepL of an aLLorney ls one who
prlnclpally Lrles cases before Lhe courLs 1he members of Lhe bench and bar and Lhe
lnformed laymen such as buslnessmen know LhaL ln mosL developed socleLles Loday
subsLanLlally more legal work ls LransacLed ln law offlces Lhan ln Lhe courLrooms Ceneral
pracLlLloners of law who do boLh llLlgaLlon and nonllLlgaLlon work also know LhaL ln mosL
cases Lhey flnd Lhemselves spendlng more Llme dolng whaL ls loosely desccrlbed as
buslness counsellng Lhan ln Lrylng cases 1he buslness lawyer has been descrlbed as Lhe
planner Lhe dlagnosLlclan and Lhe Lrlal lawyer Lhe surgeon lL need noL be sLressed
LhaL ln law as ln medlclne surgery should be avolded where lnLernal medlclne can be
effecLlve %8osloess 5tot CorporaLe llnance Law !an 11 1989 p 4)
ln Lhe course of a worklng day Lhe average general pracLlLloner wlg engage ln a number of
legal Lasks each lnvolvlng dlfferenL legal docLrlnes legal skllls legal processes legal
lnsLlLuLlons cllenLs and oLher lnLeresLed parLles Lven Lhe lncreaslng numbers of lawyers
ln speclallzed pracLlce wlg usually perform aL leasL some legal servlces ouLslde Lhelr
speclalLy And even wlLhln a narrow speclalLy such as Lax pracLlce a lawyer wlll shlfL from
one legal Lask or role such as advlceglvlng Lo an lmporLanLly dlfferenL one such as
represenLlng a cllenL before an admlnlsLraLlve agency %Wolfram sopto p 687)
8y no means wlll mosL of Lhls work lnvolve llLlgaLlon unless Lhe lawyer ls one of Lhe
relaLlvely rare Lypes a llLlgaLor who speclallzes ln Lhls work Lo Lhe excluslon of much
else lnsLead Lhe work wlll requlre Lhe lawyer Lo have masLered Lhe full range of LradlLlonal
lawyer skllls of cllenL counselllng advlceglvlng documenL drafLlng and negoLlaLlon And
lncreaslngly lawyers flnd LhaL Lhe new skllls of evaluaLlon and medlaLlon are boLh effecLlve
for many cllenLs and a source of employmenL %lblJ)
MosL lawyers wlll engage ln nonllLlgaLlon legal work or ln llLlgaLlon work LhaL ls
consLralned ln very lmporLanL ways aL leasL LheoreLlcally so as Lo remove from lL some of
Lhe sallenL feaLures of adversarlal llLlgaLlon Cf Lhese speclal roles Lhe mosL promlnenL ls
LhaL of prosecuLor ln some lawyers work Lhe consLralnLs are lmposed boLh by Lhe naLure
of Lhe cllenL and by Lhe way ln whlch Lhe lawyer ls organlzed lnLo a soclal unlL Lo perform
LhaL work 1he mosL common of Lhese roles are Lhose of corporaLe pracLlce and
governmenL legal servlce %lblJ)
ln several lssues of Lhe 8osloess 5tot a buslness dally hereln below quoLed are emerglng
Lrends ln corporaLe law pracLlce a deparLure from Lhe LradlLlonal concepL of pracLlce of
law
We are experlenclng Loday whaL Lruly may be called a revoluLlonary LransformaLlon
ln corporaLe law pracLlce Lawyers and oLher professlonal groups ln parLlcular Lhose
members parLlclpaLlng ln varlous legalpollcy declslonal conLexLs are flndlng LhaL
undersLandlng Lhe ma[or emerglng Lrends ln corporaLlon law ls lndlspensable Lo
lnLelllgenL declslonmaklng
ConsLrucLlve ad[usLmenL Lo ma[or corporaLe problems of Loday requlres an accuraLe
undersLandlng of Lhe naLure and lmpllcaLlons of Lhe corporaLe law research funcLlon
accompanled by an acceleraLlng raLe of lnformaLlon accumulaLlon 1he recognlLlon of
Lhe need for such lmproved corporaLe legal pollcy formulaLlon parLlcularly model
maklng and conLlngency plannlng has lmpressed upon us Lhe lnadequacy of
LradlLlonal procedures ln many declslonal conLexLs
ln a complex legal problem Lhe mass of lnformaLlon Lo be processed Lhe sorLlng and
welghlng of slgnlflcanL condlLlonal facLors Lhe appralsal of ma[or Lrends Lhe
necesslLy of esLlmaLlng Lhe consequences of glven courses of acLlon and Lhe need
for fasL declslon and response ln slLuaLlons of acuLe danger have prompLed Lhe use
of sophlsLlcaLed concepLs of lnformaLlon flow Lheory operaLlonal analysls auLomaLlc
daLa processlng and elecLronlc compuLlng equlpmenL undersLandably an lmproved
declslonal sLrucLure musL sLress Lhe predlcLlve componenL of Lhe pollcymaklng
process whereln a model of Lhe declslonal conLexL or a segmenL Lhereof ls
developed Lo LesL pro[ecLed alLernaLlve courses of acLlon ln Lerms of fuLurlsLlc effecLs
flowlng Lherefrom
AlLhough members of Lhe legal professlon are regularly engaged ln predlcLlng and
pro[ecLlng Lhe Lrends of Lhe law Lhe sub[ecL of corporaLe flnance law has recelved
relaLlvely llLLle organlzed and formallzed aLLenLlon ln Lhe phllosophy of advanclng
corporaLe legal educaLlon noneLheless a crossdlsclpllnary approach Lo legal
research has become a vlLal necesslLy
CerLalnly Lhe general orlenLaLlon for producLlve conLrlbuLlons by Lhose Lralned
prlmarlly ln Lhe law can be lmproved Lhrough an early lnLroducLlon Lo mulLlvarlable
declslonal conLexL and Lhe varlous approaches for handllng such problems Lawyers
parLlcularly wlLh elLher a masLers or docLoraLe degree ln buslness admlnlsLraLlon or
managemenL funcLlonlng aL Lhe legal pollcy level of declslonmaklng now have some
appreclaLlon for Lhe concepLs and analyLlcal Lechnlques of oLher professlons whlch
are currenLly engaged ln slmllar Lypes of complex declslonmaklng
1ruLh Lo Lell many slLuaLlons lnvolvlng corporaLe flnance problems would requlre Lhe
servlces of an asLuLe aLLorney because of Lhe complex legal lmpllcaLlons LhaL arlse
from each and every necessary sLep ln securlng and malnLalnlng Lhe buslness lssue
ralsed %8osloess 5tot CorporaLe llnance Law !an 11 1989 p 4)
ln our llLlgaLlonprone counLry a corporaLe lawyer ls asslduously referred Lo as Lhe
abogado de campanllla Pe ls Lhe blgLlme lawyer earnlng blg money and wlLh a
cllenLele composed of Lhe Lycoons and magnaLes of buslness and lndusLry
uesplLe Lhe growlng number of corporaLe lawyers many people could noL explaln
whaL lL ls LhaL a corporaLe lawyer does lor one Lhe number of aLLorneys employed
by a slngle corporaLlon wlll vary wlLh Lhe slze and Lype of Lhe corporaLlon Many
smaller and some large corporaLlons farm ouL all Lhelr legal problems Lo prlvaLe law
flrms Many oLhers have lnhouse counsel only for cerLaln maLLers CLher corporaLlon
have a sLaff large enough Lo handle mosL legal problems lnhouse
A corporaLe lawyer for all lnLenLs and purposes ls a lawyer who handles Lhe legal
affalrs of a corporaLlon Pls areas of concern or [urlsdlcLlon may lnclude lotet ollo
corporaLe legal research Lax laws research acLlng ouL as corporaLe secreLary %ln
board meeLlngs) appearances ln boLh courLs and oLher ad[udlcaLory agencles
%lncludlng Lhe SecurlLles and Lxchange Commlsslon) and ln oLher capaclLles whlch
requlre an ablllLy Lo deal wlLh Lhe law
AL any raLe a corporaLe lawyer may assume responslblllLles oLher Lhan Lhe legal
affalrs of Lhe buslness of Lhe corporaLlon he ls represenLlng 1bese locloJe socb
mottets os Jetetmloloq pollcy ooJ becomloq lovolveJ lo moooqemeot % Lmphasls
supplled)
ln a blg company for example one may have a feellng of belng lsolaLed from Lhe
acLlon or noL undersLandlng how ones work acLually flLs lnLo Lhe work of Lhe
orgarnlzaLlon 1hls can be frusLraLlng Lo someone who needs Lo see Lhe resulLs of hls
work flrsL hand ln shorL a corporaLe lawyer ls someLlmes offered Lhls forLune Lo be
more closely lnvolved ln Lhe runnlng of Lhe buslness
Moreover a corporaLe lawyers servlces may someLlmes be engaged by a
mulLlnaLlonal corporaLlon %MnC) Some large MnCs provlde one of Lhe few
opporLunlLles avallable Lo corporaLe lawyers Lo enLer Lhe lnLernaLlonal law fleld
AfLer all lnLernaLlonal law ls pracLlced ln a relaLlvely small number of companles and
law flrms 8ecause worklng ln a forelgn counLry ls percelved by many as glamorous
Lllls ls an area coveLed by corporaLe lawyers ln mosL cases however Lhe overseas
[obs go Lo experlenced aLLorneys whlle Lhe younger aLLorneys do Lhelr lnLernaLlonal
pracLlce ln law llbrarles %8osloess 5tot CorporaLe Law racLlce May 231990 p
4)
1hls brlngs us Lo Lhe lnevlLable le Lhe role of Lhe lawyer ln Lhe realm of flnance 1o
borrow Lhe llnes of ParvardeducaLed lawyer 8ruce WasserLeln Lo wlL A bad lawyer
ls one who falls Lo spoL problems a good lawyer ls one who percelves Lhe dlfflculLles
and Lhe excellenL lawyer ls one who surmounLs Lhem %8osloess 5tot CorporaLe
llnance Law !an 11 1989 p 4)
1oday Lhe sLudy of corporaLe law pracLlce dlrely needs a shoL ln Lhe arm so Lo
speak no longer are we Lalklng of Lhe LradlLlonal law Leachlng meLhod of conflnlng
Lhe sub[ecL sLudy Lo Lhe CorporaLlon Code and Lhe SecurlLles Code buL an lncurslon
as well lnLo Lhe lnLerLwlnlng modern managemenL lssues
Such corporaLe legal managemenL lssues deal prlmarlly wlLh Lhree %3) Lypes of
learnlng %1) acqulslLlon of lnslghLs lnLo currenL advances whlch are of parLlcular
slgnlflcance Lo Lhe corporaLe counsel %2) an lnLroducLlon Lo usable dlsclpllnary sklns
appllcable Lo a corporaLe counsels managemenL responslblllLles and %3) a devoLlon
Lo Lhe organlzaLlon and managemenL of Lhe legal funcLlon lLself
1hese Lhree sub[ecL areas may be LhoughL of as lnLersecLlng clrcles wlLh a shared
area llnklng Lhem CLherwlse known as lnLersecLlng managerlal [urlsprudence lL
forms a unlfylng Lheme for Lhe corporaLe counsels LoLal learnlng
Some currenL advances ln behavlor and pollcy sclences affecL Lhe counsels role lor
LhaL maLLer Lhe corporaLe lawyer revlews Lhe globallzaLlon process lncludlng Lhe
resulLlng sLraLeglc reposlLlonlng LhaL Lhe flrms he provldes counsel for are requlred
Lo make and Lhe need Lo Lhlnk abouL a corporaLlons sLraLegy aL mulLlple levels 1he
sallence of Lhe naLlonsLaLe ls belng reduced as flrms deal boLh wlLh global
mulLlnaLlonal enLlLles and slmulLaneously wlLh subnaLlonal governmenLal unlLs
llrms lncreaslngly collaboraLe noL only wlLh publlc enLlLles buL wlLh each oLher
ofLen wlLh Lhose who are compeLlLors ln oLher arenas
Also tbe ootote of tbe lowyets pottlclpotloo lo Jeclsloomokloq wltblo tbe
cotpototloo ls toplJly cbooqloq 1be moJem cotpotote lowyet bos qoloeJ o oew tole
os o stokebolJet lo some coses pottlclpotloq lo tbe otqoolzotloo ooJ opetotloos of
qovetoooce tbtooqb pottlclpotloo oo bootJs ooJ otbet Jeclsloomokloq toles CfLen
Lhese new paLLerns develop alongslde exlsLlng legal lnsLlLuLlons and laws are
percelved as barrlers 1hese Lrends are compllcaLed as corporaLlons organlze for
global operaLlons % Lmphasls supplled)
1be ptoctlsloq lowyet of toJoy ls fomlllot os well wltb qovetomeotol pollcles towotJ
tbe ptomotloo ooJ moooqemeot of tecbooloqy New collobototlve ottooqemeots fot
ptomotloq speclflc tecbooloqles ot competltlveoess mote qeoetolly tepolte
opptoocbes ftom loJostty tbot Jlffet ftom olJet mote oJvetsotlol telotloosblps ooJ
ttoJltloool fotms of seekloq to lofloeoce qovetomeotol pollcles And Lhere are lessons
Lo be learned from oLher counLrles ln Lurope sptlt oteko and koce are examples
of collaboraLlve efforLs beLween governmenLal and buslness !apans Ml1l ls world
famous %Lmphasls supplled)
lollowlng Lhe concepL of boundary spannlng Lhe offlce of Lhe CorporaLe Counsel
comprlses a dlsLlncL group wlLhln Lhe managerlal sLrucLure of all klnds of
organlzaLlons LffecLlveness of boLh longLerm and Lemporary groups wlLhln
organlzaLlons has been found Lo be relaLed Lo lndenLlflable facLors ln Lhe group
conLexL lnLeracLlon such as Lhe groups acLlvely revlslng Lhelr knowledge of Lhe
envlronmenL coordlnaLlng work wlLh ouLslders promoLlng Leam achlevemenLs wlLhln
Lhe organlzaLlon ln general such exLernal acLlvlLles are beLLer predlcLors of Leam
performance Lhan lnLernal group processes
lo o ctlsls sltootloo tbe leqol moooqetlol copobllltles of tbe cotpotote lowyet vlsovls
tbe moooqetlol mettle of cotpototloos ote cbolleoqeJ CurrenL research ls seeklng
ways boLh Lo anLlclpaLe effecLlve managerlal procedures and Lo undersLand
relaLlonshlps of flnanclal llablllLy and lnsurance conslderaLlons %Lmphasls supplled)
8egardlng Lhe skllls Lo apply by Lhe corporaLe counsel Lhree facLors are optopos
8C8LLM A8LAS ln LLCAL L1PlCS CASLS #1 | lZC8LLLL 1 uLCC | 3
ltst 5ystem uyoomlcs 1he fleld of sysLems dynamlcs has been found an effecLlve
Lool for new managerlal Lhlnklng regardlng boLh plannlng and presslng lmmedlaLe
problems An undersLandlng of Lhe role of feedback loops lnvenLory levels and raLes
of flow enable users Lo slmulaLe all sorLs of sysLemaLlc problems physlcal
economlc managerlal soclal and psychologlcal New ptoqtommloq tecbolpoes oow
moke tbe system Jyoomlcs ptloclples mote occesslble to moooqets locloJloq
cotpotote cooosels %Lmphasls supplled)
5ecooJ ueclsloo Aoolysls 1bls eoobles osets to moke bettet Jeclsloos lovolvloq
complexlty ooJ oocettoloty lo tbe cootext of o low Jepottmeot lt coo be oseJ to
opptolse tbe settlemeot voloe of lltlqotloo olJ lo oeqotlotloo settlemeot ooJ
mlolmlze tbe cost ooJ tlsk lovolveJ lo moooqloq o pottfollo of coses %Lmphasls
supplled)
1bltJ MoJelloq fot Neqotlotloo Moooqemeot CompuLerbased models can be used
dlrecLly by parLles and medlaLors ln all lands of negoLlaLlons All lnLegraLed seL of
such Lools provlde coherenL and effecLlve negoLlaLlon supporL lncludlng handson on
lnsLrucLlon ln Lhese Lechnlques A slmulaLlon case of an lnLernaLlonal [olnL venLure
may be used Lo lllusLraLe Lhe polnL
8e Lhls as lL may Lhe organlzaLlon and managemenL of Lhe legal funcLlon concern
Lhree polnLed areas of conslderaLlon Lhus
lteveotlve lowyetloq lannlng by lawyers requlres speclal skllls LhaL comprlse a
ma[or parL of Lhe general counsels responslblllLles 1hey dlffer from Lhose of
remedlal law revenLlve lawyerlng ls concerned wlLh mlnlmlzlng Lhe rlsks of legal
Lrouble and maxlmlzlng legal rlghLs for such legal enLlLles aL LhaL Llme when
LransacLlonal or slmllar facLs are belng consldered and made
Moooqetlol IotlsptoJeoce 1hls ls Lhe framework wlLhln whlch are underLaken Lhose
acLlvlLles of Lhe flrm Lo whlch legal consequences aLLach lL needs Lo be dlrecLly
supporLlve of Lhls naLlons evolvlng economlc and organlzaLlonal fabrlc as flrms
change Lo sLay compeLlLlve ln a global lnLerdependenL envlronmenL 1he pracLlce
and Lheory of law ls noL adequaLe Loday Lo faclllLaLe Lhe relaLlonshlps needed ln
Lrylng Lo make a global economy work
Otqoolzotloo ooJ ooctlooloq of tbe cotpotote cooosels Offlce 1he general counsel
has emerged ln Lhe lasL decade as one of Lhe mosL vlbranL subseLs of Lhe legal
professlon 1he corporaLe counsel hear responslblllLy for key aspecLs of Lhe flrms
sLraLeglc lssues lncludlng sLrucLurlng lLs global operaLlons managlng lmproved
relaLlonshlps wlLh an lncreaslngly dlverslfled body of employees managlng expanded
llablllLy exposure creaLlng new and varled lnLeracLlons wlLh publlc declslonmakers
coplng lnLernally wlLh more complex make or by declslons
1hls whole exerclse drlves home Lhe Lhesls LhaL knowlng corporaLe law ls noL enough
Lo make one a good general corporaLe counsel nor Lo glve hlm a full sense of how Lhe
legal sysLem shapes corporaLe acLlvlLles And even lf Lhe corporaLe lawyers alm ls
noL Lhe undersLand all of Lhe laws effecLs on corporaLe acLlvlLles he musL aL Lhe
very leasL also galn a worklng knowledge of Lhe managemenL lssues lf only Lo be
able Lo grasp noL only Lhe baslc legal consLlLuLlon or makeup of Lhe modem
corporaLlon 8osloess 5tot 1he CorporaLe Counsel Aprll 10 1991 p 4)
1he challenge for lawyers %boLh of Lhe bar and Lhe bench) ls Lo have more Lhan a
passlng knowledge of flnanclal law affecLlng each aspecL of Lhelr work ?eL many
would admlL Lo lgnorance of vasL LracLs of Lhe flnanclal law LerrlLory WhaL Lransplres
nexL ls a dllemma of professlonal securlLy Wlll Lhe lawyer admlL lgnorance and rlsk
opprobrlum? or wlll he felgn undersLandlng and rlsk exposure? %8osloess 5tot
CorporaLe llnance law !an 11 1989 p 4)
8espondenL ChrlsLlan Monsod was nomlnaLed by resldenL Corazon C Aqulno Lo Lhe
poslLlon of Chalrman of Lhe CCMLLLC ln a leLLer recelved by Lhe SecreLarlaL of Lhe
Commlsslon on AppolnLmenLs on Aprll 23 1991 eLlLloner opposed Lhe nomlnaLlon
because allegedly Monsod does noL possess Lhe requlred quallflcaLlon of havlng been
engaged ln Lhe pracLlce of law for aL leasL Len years
Cn !une 3 1991 Lhe Commlsslon on AppolnLmenLs conflrmed Lhe nomlnaLlon of Monsod
as Chalrman of Lhe CCMLLLC Cn !une 18 1991 he Look hls oaLh of offlce Cn Lhe same
day he assumed offlce as Chalrman of Lhe CCMLLLC
Challenglng Lhe valldlLy of Lhe conflrmaLlon by Lhe Commlsslon on AppolnLmenLs of
Monsods nomlnaLlon peLlLloner as a clLlzen and Laxpayer flled Lhe lnsLanL peLlLlon for
cerLlorarl and rohlblLlon praylng LhaL sald conflrmaLlon and Lhe consequenL appolnLmenL
of Monsod as Chalrman of Lhe Commlsslon on LlecLlons be declared null and vold
ALLy ChrlsLlan Monsod ls a member of Lhe hlllpplne 8ar havlng passed Lhe bar
examlnaLlons of 1960 wlLh a grade of 8633 Pe has been a dues paylng member of Lhe
lnLegraLed 8ar of Lhe hlllpplnes slnce lLs lncepLlon ln 197273 Pe has also been paylng hls
professlonal llcense fees as lawyer for more Lhan Len years %p 124 8ollo)
AfLer graduaLlng from Lhe College of Law %u) and havlng hurdled Lhe bar Atty MoosoJ
wotkeJ lo tbe low offlce of bls fotbet uurlng hls sLlnL ln Lhe World 8ank Croup %1963
1970) MoosoJ wotkeJ os oo opetotloos offlcet fot oboot two yeots lo costo klco ooJ
looomo wblcb lovolveJ qettloq ocpooloteJ wltb tbe lows of membetcooottles oeqotlotloq
looos ooJ cootJlootloq leqol ecooomlc ooJ ptoject wotk of tbe 8ook upoo tetotoloq to
tbe lblllpploes lo 1970 be wotkeJ wltb tbe Metolco Ctoop setveJ os cblef execotlve offlcet
of oo lovestmeot book ooJ sobsepoeotly of o bosloess cooqlometote ooJ sloce 1986 bos
teoJeteJ setvlces to votloos compooles os o leqol ooJ ecooomlc coosoltoot ot cblef
execotlve offlcet As fotmet 5ectetotyCeoetol (1986) ooJ Notloool cboltmoo (1987) of
NAMkl MoosoJs wotk lovolveJ beloq koowleJqeoble lo electloo low ne oppeoteJ fot
NAMkl lo lts occteJltotloo beotloqs befote tbe comelec lo tbe flelJ of oJvococy
MoosoJ lo bls petsoool copoclty ooJ os fotmet cocboltmoo of tbe 8lsbops 8osloessmeos
coofeteoce fot nomoo uevelopmeot bos wotkeJ wltb tbe ooJet ptlvlleqeJ sectots socb os
tbe fotmet ooJ otboo poot qtoops lo loltlotloq lobbyloq fot ooJ eoqoqloq lo offltmotlve
octloo fot tbe oqtotloo tefotm low ooJ lotely tbe otboo looJ tefotm blll MoosoJ olso moJe
ose of bls leqol koowleJqe os o membet of tbe uovlJe commlssloo o poost joJlclol boJy
wblcb cooJocteJ oometoos beotloqs (1990) ooJ os o membet of tbe coostltotloool
commlssloo (19861987) ooJ cboltmoo of lts commlttee oo Accoootoblllty of lobllc
Offlcets fot wblcb be wos clteJ by tbe lteslJeot of tbe commlssloo Iostlce ceclllo Mooz
lolmo fot looometoble omeoJmeots to tecooclle qovetomeot fooctloos wltb loJlvlJool
fteeJoms ooJ pobllc occoootoblllty ooJ tbe pottyllst system fot tbe noose of
kepteseototlve (pp 128129 kollo) ( mpbosls sopplleJ)
!usL a word abouL tbe wotk of o oeqotlotloq teom of whlch ALLy Monsod used Lo be a
member
ln a loan agreemenL for lnsLance a negoLlaLlng panel acLs as a Leam and whlch ls
adequaLely consLlLuLed Lo meeL Lhe varlous conLlngencles LhaL arlse durlng a
negoLlaLlon 8esldes Lop offlclals of Lhe 8orrower concerned Lhere are Lhe legal
offlcer %such as Lhe legal counsel) Lhe flnance manager and an opetotloos offlcet
%socb os oo offlclol lovolveJ lo oeqotlotloq tbe coottocts) who comprlse Lhe members
of Lhe Leam %Culllermo v Sollven Loan negoLlaLlng SLraLegles for ueveloplng
CounLry 8orrowers SLaff aper no 2 CenLral 8ank of Lhe hlllpplnes Manlla 1982
p 11) %Lmphasls supplled)
AfLer a fashlon Lhe loan agreemenL ls llke a counLrys ConsLlLuLlon lL lays down Lhe
law as far as Lhe loan LransacLlon ls concerned 1hus Lhe meaL of any Loan
AgreemenL can be comparLmenLallzed lnLo flve %3) fundamenLal parLs %1) buslness
Lerms %2) borrowers represenLaLlon %3) condlLlons of closlng %4) covenanLs and %3)
evenLs of defaulL %lblJ p 13)
ln Lhe same veln lowyets ploy oo lmpottoot tole lo ooy Jebt testtoctotloq ptoqtom
lor aslde from performlng Lhe Lasks of leglslaLlve drafLlng and legal advlslng Lhey
score naLlonal developmenL pollcles as key facLors ln malnLalnlng Lhelr counLrles
soverelgnLy %Condensed from Lhe work paper enLlLled WanLed uevelopmenL
Lawyers for ueveloplng naLlons submlLLed by L Mlchael Pager reglonal legal
advlser of Lhe unlLed SLaLes Agency for lnLernaLlonal uevelopmenL durlng Lhe
Sesslon on Law for Lhe uevelopmenL of naLlons aL Lhe Abld[an World Conference ln
lvory CoasL sponsored by Lhe World eace 1hrough Law CenLer on AugusL 2631
1973) % Lmphasls supplled)
looo coocessloos ooJ comptomlses petbops eveo mote so tboo potely teoeqotlotloo
pollcles JemooJ expettlse lo tbe low of coottocts lo leqlslotloo ooJ oqteemeot
Jtoftloq ooJ lo teoeqotlotloo necessarlly a soverelgn lawyer may work wlLh an
lnLernaLlonal buslness speclallsL or an economlsL ln Lhe formulaLlon of a model loan
agreemenL uebL resLrucLurlng conLracL agreemenLs conLaln such a mlxLure of
Lechnlcal language LhaL Lhey should be carefully drafLed and slgned only wlLh Lhe
advlse of compeLenL counsel ln con[uncLlon wlLh Lhe guldance of adequaLe Lechnlcal
supporL personnel %5ee lotetootloool low Aspects of tbe lblllpploe xtetool uebts
an unpubllshed dlsserLaLlon uS1 CraduaLe School of Law 1987 p 321) % Lmphasls
supplled)
A crlLlcal aspecL of soverelgn debL resLrucLurlng/conLracL consLrucLlon ls Lhe seL of
Lerms and condlLlons whlch deLermlnes Lhe conLracLual remedles for a fallure Lo
perform one or more elemenLs of Lhe conLracL A good agreemenL musL noL only
deflne Lhe responslblllLles of boLh parLles buL musL also sLaLe Lhe recourse open Lo
elLher parLy when Lhe oLher falls Lo dlscharge an obllgaLlon lor a compleaL debL
resLrucLurlng represenLs a devoLlon Lo LhaL prlnclple whlch ln Lhe ulLlmaLe analysls ls
sloe poo ooo for forelgn loan agreemenLsan adherence Lo Lhe rule of law ln
domesLlc and lnLernaLlonal affalrs of whose klnd uS Supreme CourL !usLlce Cllver
Wendell Polmes !r once sald 1hey carry no banners Lhey beaL no drums buL
where Lhey are men learn LhaL busLle and bush are noL Lhe equal of quleL genlus and
serene masLery %See 8lcardo ! 8omulo 1he 8ole of Lawyers ln lorelgn
lnvesLmenLs lnLegraLed 8ar of Lhe hlllpplne !ournal vol 13 nos 3 and 4 1hlrd
and lourLh CuarLers 1977 p 263)
lotetpteteJ lo tbe llqbt of tbe votloos Jefloltloos of tbe tetm ltoctlce of low pottlcolotly
tbe moJeto coocept of low ptoctlce ooJ tokloq loto cooslJetotloo tbe llbetol coosttoctloo
loteoJeJ by tbe ftomets of tbe coostltotloo Atty MoosoJs post wotk expetleoces os o
lowyetecooomlst o lowyetmoooqet o lowyeteottepteoeot of loJostty o lowyet
oeqotlotot of coottocts ooJ o lowyetleqlslotot of botb tbe tlcb ooJ tbe poot vetlly mote
tboo sotlsfy tbe coostltotloool tepoltemeot tbot be bos beeo eoqoqeJ lo tbe ptoctlce of
low fot ot leost teo yeots
8esldes ln Lhe leadlng case of loeqo v clvll 5etvlce commlssloo 143 SC8A 327 Lhe CourL
sald
Appolotmeot ls oo esseotlolly Jlsctetloooty powet and musL be performed by Lhe
offlcer ln whlch lL ls vesLed accordlng Lo hls besL llghLs Lhe only condlLlon belng LhaL
Lhe appolnLee should possess Lhe quallflcaLlons requlred by law lf he does Lhen Lhe
appolnLmenL cannoL be faulLed on Lhe ground LhaL Lhere are oLhers beLLer quallfled
who should have been preferred 1bls ls o polltlcol poestloo lovolvloq cooslJetotloos
of wlsJom wblcb ooly tbe oppolotloq ootbotlty coo JeclJe %emphasls supplled)
no less emphaLlc was Lhe CourL ln Lhe case of %ceottol 8ook v clvll 5etvlce commlssloo
171 SC8A 744) where lL sLaLed
lL ls wellseLLled LhaL when Lhe appolnLee ls quallfled as ln Lhls case and all Lhe oLher
legal requlremenLs are saLlsfled Lhe Commlsslon has no alLernaLlve buL Lo aLLesL Lo
Lhe appolnLmenL ln accordance wlLh Lhe Clvll Servlce Law 1he Commlsslon has no
auLhorlLy Lo revoke an appolnLmenL on Lhe ground LhaL anoLher person ls more
quallfled for a parLlcular poslLlon lL also has no auLhorlLy Lo dlrecL Lhe appolnLmenL
of a subsLlLuLe of lLs cholce 1o do so would be oo eoctoocbmeot oo tbe Jlsctetloo
vesteJ opoo tbe oppolotloq ootbotlty Ao oppolotmeot ls esseotlolly wltblo tbe
8C8LLM A8LAS ln LLCAL L1PlCS CASLS #1 | lZC8LLLL 1 uLCC | 6
Jlsctetloooty powet of wbomsoevet lt ls vesteJ sobject to tbe ooly cooJltloo tbot tbe
oppolotee sboolJ possess tbe poollflcotloos tepolteJ by low % Lmphasls supplled)
1he appolnLlng process ln a regular appolnLmenL as ln Lhe case aL bar conslsLs of four %4)
sLages %1) nomlnaLlon %2) conflrmaLlon by Lhe Commlsslon on AppolnLmenLs %3) lssuance
of a commlsslon %ln Lhe hlllpplnes upon submlsslon by Lhe Commlsslon on AppolnLmenLs
of lLs cerLlflcaLe of conflrmaLlon Lhe resldenL lssues Lhe permanenL appolnLmenL and %4)
accepLance eg oaLhLaklng posLlng of bond eLc %locsoo v kometo no L3081
CcLober 14 1949 Conzales Law on ubllc Cfflcers p 200)
1he power of Lhe Commlsslon on AppolnLmenLs Lo glve lLs consenL Lo Lhe nomlnaLlon of
Monsod as Chalrman of Lhe Commlsslon on LlecLlons ls mandaLed by SecLlon 1%2) Sub
ArLlcle C ArLlcle lx of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon whlch provldes
1he Chalrman and Lhe Commlsloners shall be appolnLed by Lhe resldenL wlLh Lhe
consenL of Lhe Commlsslon on AppolnLmenLs for a Lerm of seven years wlLhouL
reappolnLmenL Cf Lhose flrsL appolnLed Lhree Members shall hold offlce for seven
years Lwo Members for flve years and Lhe lasL Members for Lhree years wlLhouL
reappolnLmenL AppolnLmenL Lo any vacancy shall be only for Lhe unexplred Lerm of
Lhe predecessor ln no case shall any Member be appolnLed or deslgnaLed ln a
Lemporary or acLlng capaclLy
AnenL !usLlce 1eodoro adlllas separaLe oplnlon sufflce lL Lo say LhaL hls deflnlLlon
of Lhe pracLlce of law ls Lhe LradlLlonal or sLereoLyped noLlon of law pracLlce as
dlsLlngulshed from tbe moJeto coocept of tbe ptoctlce of low whlch modern
connoLaLlon ls exoctly wbot wos loteoJeJ by tbe emloeot ftomets of tbe 1987
coostltotloo Moreover !usLlce adlllas deflnlLlon would requlre generally a hablLual
law pracLlce perhaps pracLlsed Lwo or Lhree Llmes a week and woolJ ootlow say law
pracLlce once or Lwlce a year for Len consecuLlve years Clearly Lhls ls far from Lhe
consLlLuLlonal lnLenL
upon Lhe oLher hand Lhe separaLe oplnlon of !usLlce lsaganl Cruz sLaLes LhaL ln my wrlLLen
oplnlon l made use of a deflnlLlon of law pracLlce whlch really means noLhlng because Lhe
deflnlLlon says LhaL law pracLlce ls whaL people ordlnarlly mean by Lhe pracLlce of
law 1rue l clLed Lhe deflnlLlon buL only by way of sarcasm as evldenL from my sLaLemenL
LhaL Lhe deflnlLlon of law pracLlce by LradlLlonal areas of law pracLlce ls essenLlally
tootoloqoos or deflnlng a phrase by means of Lhe phrase lLself LhaL ls belng deflned
!usLlce Cruz goes on Lo say ln subsLance LhaL slnce Lhe law covers almosL all slLuaLlons
mosL lndlvlduals ln maklng use of Lhe law or ln advlslng oLhers on whaL Lhe law means
are acLually pracLlclng law ln LhaL sense perhaps buL we should noL lose slghL of Lhe facL
LhaL Mr Monsod ls o lowyet o membet of tbe lblllpploe 8ot who has been pracLlslng law
for over Len years 1hls ls dlfferenL from Lhe acLs of persons pracLlslng law wltboot fltst
becomloq lowyets
!usLlce Cruz also says LhaL Lhe Supreme CourL can even dlsquallfy an elecLed resldenL of
Lhe hlllpplnes say on Lhe ground LhaL he lacks one or more quallflcaLlons 1hls maLLer l
greaLly doubL lor one Lhlng how can an acLlon or peLlLlon be broughL agalnsL Lhe
resldenL? And even assumlng LhaL he ls lndeed dlsquallfled how can Lhe acLlon be
enLerLalned slnce he ls Lhe lncumbenL resldenL?
We now proceed
1he Commlsslon on Lhe basls of evldence submlLLed dollng Lhe publlc hearlngs on
Monsods conflrmaLlon lmpllclLly deLermlned LhaL he possessed Lhe necessary
quallflcaLlons as requlred by law 1he [udgmenL rendered by Lhe Commlsslon ln Lhe
exerclse of such an acknowledged power ls beyond [udlclal lnLerference excepL only upon a
clear showlng of a grave abuse of dlscreLlon amounLlng Lo lack or excess of [urlsdlcLlon
%ArL vlll Sec 1 ConsLlLuLlon) 1hus only where such grave abuse of dlscreLlon ls clearly
shown shall Lhe CourL lnLerfere wlLh Lhe Commlsslons [udgmenL ln Lhe lnsLanL case Lhere
ls no occaslon for Lhe exerclse of Lhe CourLs correcLlve power slnce no abuse much less a
grave abuse of dlscreLlon LhaL would amounL Lo lack or excess of [urlsdlcLlon and would
warranL Lhe lssuance of Lhe wrlLs prayed for has been clearly shown
AddlLlonally conslder Lhe followlng
%1) lf Lhe Commlsslon on AppolnLmenLs tejects a nomlnee by Lhe resldenL
may Lhe Supreme CourL reverse Lhe Commlsslon and Lhus ln effecL
coofltm Lhe appolnLmenL? Clearly Lhe answer ls ln Lhe negaLlve
%2) ln Lhe same veln may Lhe CourL teject Lhe nomlnee whom Lhe
Commlsslon has coofltmeJ? 1he answer ls llkewlse clear
%3) lf Lhe unlLed SLaLes SenaLe %whlch ls Lhe conflrmlng body ln Lhe uS
Congress) decldes Lo coofltm a resldenLlal nomlnee lL would be
lncredlble LhaL Lhe uS Supreme CourL would sLlll tevetse Lhe uS
SenaLe
llnally one slgnlflcanL legal maxlm ls
We musL lnLerpreL noL by Lhe leLLer LhaL kllleLh buL by Lhe splrlL LhaL glveLh
llfe
1ake Lhls hypoLheLlcal case of Samson and uelllah Cnce Lhe procuraLor of !udea asked
uelllah %who was Samsons beloved) for help ln capLurlng Samson uelllah agreed on
condlLlon LhaL
no blade shall Louch hls skln
no blood shall flow from hls velns
When Samson %hls long halr cuL by uelllah) was capLured Lhe procuraLor placed an lron
rod burnlng whlLehoL Lwo or Lhree lnches away from ln fronL of Samsons eyes 1hls
bllnded Lhe man upon hearlng of whaL had happened Lo her beloved uelllah was beslde
herself wlLh anger and fumlng wlLh rlghLeous fury accused Lhe procuraLor of reneglng on
hls word 1he procuraLor calmly replled uld any blade Louch hls skln? uld any blood flow
from hls velns? 1he procuraLor was clearly relylng on Lhe leLLer noL Lhe splrlL of Lhe
agreemenL
ln vlew of Lhe foregolng Lhls peLlLlon ls hereby ulSMlSSLu
SC C8uL8Lu
etooo cI CtloApoloo ooJ MeJlolJeo II coocot
ellclooo I l cettlfy tbot be voteJ to Jlsmlss tbe petltloo (etooo cI)
5otmleoto I ls oo leove
keqoloJo ooJ uovlJe It I took oo pott

Searate C|n|ons
NAkVASA l concurrlng
l concur wlLh Lhe declslon of Lhe ma[orlLy wrlLLen by Mr !usLlce aras albelL only ln Lhe
resulL lL does noL appear Lo me LhaL Lhere has been an adequaLe showlng LhaL Lhe
challenged deLermlnaLlon by Lhe Commlsslon on AppolnLmenLsLhaL Lhe appolnLmenL of
respondenL Monsod as Chalrman of Lhe Commlsslon on LlecLlons should on Lhe basls of
hls sLaLed quallflcaLlons and afLer due assessmenL Lhereof be conflrmedwas aLLended by
error so gross as Lo amounL Lo grave abuse of dlscreLlon and consequenLly merlLs
nulllflcaLlon by Lhls CourL ln accordance wlLh Lhe second paragraph of SecLlon 1 ArLlcle vlll
of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon l Lherefore voLe Lo uLn? Lhe peLlLlon
ADILLA l dlssenLlng
1he records of Lhls case wlll show LhaL when Lhe CourL flrsL dellberaLed on Lhe eLlLlon aL
bar l voLed noL only Lo requlre Lhe respondenLs Lo commenL on Lhe eLlLlon buL l was Lhe
sole voLe for Lhe lssuance of a Lemporary resLralnlng order Lo en[oln respondenL Monsod
from assumlng Lhe poslLlon of CCMLLLC Chalrman whlle Lhe CourL dellberaLed on hls
consLlLuLlonal quallflcaLlon for Lhe offlce My purpose ln voLlng for a 18C was Lo prevenL
Lhe lnconvenlence and even embarrassmenL Lo all parLles concerned were Lhe CourL Lo
flnally declde for respondenL Monsods dlsquallflcaLlon Moreover a readlng of Lhe
eLlLlon Lhen ln relaLlon Lo esLabllshed [urlsprudence already showed ptlmo focle LhaL
respondenL Monsod dld noL possess Lhe needed quallflcaLlon LhaL ls he had noL engaged
ln Lhe pracLlce of law for aL leasL Len %10) years prlor Lo hls appolnLmenL as CCMLLLC
Chalrman
AfLer conslderlng carefully respondenL Monsods commenL l am even more convlnced LhaL
Lhe consLlLuLlonal requlremenL of ptoctlce of low fot ot leost teo (10) yeots has noL been
meL
1he procedural barrlers lnLerposed by respondenLs deserve scanL conslderaLlon because
ulLlmaLely Lhe core lssue Lo be resolved ln Lhls peLlLlon ls Lhe proper consLrual of Lhe
consLlLuLlonal provlslon requlrlng a ma[orlLy of Lhe membershlp of CCMLLLC lncludlng Lhe
Chalrman Lhereof Lo have been engaged ln Lhe pracLlce of law for aL leasL Len %10) years
%ArL lx%C) SecLlon 1%1) 1987 ConsLlLuLlon) CuesLlons lnvolvlng Lhe consLrucLlon of
consLlLuLlonal provlslons are besL lefL Lo [udlclal resoluLlon As declared ln Aoqoto v
lectotol commlssloo %63 hll 139) upon Lhe [udlclal deparLmenL ls Lhrown Lhe solemn
and lnescapable obllgaLlon of lnLerpreLlng Lhe ConsLlLuLlon and deflnlng consLlLuLlonal
boundarles
1he ConsLlLuLlon has lmposed clear and speclflc sLandards for a CCMLLLC Chalrman
Among Lhese are LhaL he musL have been engaged ln Lhe pracLlce of law for aL leasL Len
%10) years lL ls Lhe bounden duLy of Lhls CourL Lo ensure LhaL such sLandard ls meL and
complled wlLh
WhaL consLlLuLes pracLlce of law? As commonly undersLood pracLlce refers Lo Lhe octool
petfotmooce ot oppllcotloo of knowledge as dlsLlngulshed from mete possessloo of
koowleJqe lL connoLes an octlve bobltool tepeoteJ or costomoty octloo
1
1o pracLlce
law or any professlon for LhaL maLLer means Lo exerclse or pursue an employmenL or
professlon octlvely bobltoolly tepeoteJly or costomotlly
1herefore a docLor of medlclne who ls employed and ls hablLually performlng Lhe Lasks of
a nurslng alde cannoL be sald Lo be ln Lhe pracLlce of medlclne A cerLlfled publlc
accounLanL who works as a clerk cannoL be sald Lo pracLlce hls professlon as an
accounLanL ln Lhe same way a lawyer who ls employed as a buslness execuLlve or a
corporaLe manager oLher Lhan as head or aLLorney of a Legal ueparLmenL of a corporaLlon
or a governmenLal agency cannoL be sald Lo be ln Lhe pracLlce of law
As apLly held by Lhls CourL ln Lhe case of leople vs vllloooevo
2

ltoctlce ls mote tboo oo lsoloteJ oppeotooce fot lt cooslsts lo ftepoeot ot costomoty
octloos o soccessloo of octs of tbe some kloJ ln oLher words lL ls frequenL hablLual
exerclse %SLaLe vs CoLner 127 p 1 87 kan 864 42 L8A MS 768) racLlce of law Lo
fall wlLhln Lhe prohlblLlon of sLaLuLe has been lnLerpreLed as cusLomarlly or
hablLually holdlng ones self ouL Lo Lhe publlc as a lawyer and demandlng paymenL
for such servlces %SLaLe vs 8ryan 4 SL 322 98 nC 644647) %emphasls
supplled)
lL ls worLh menLlonlng LhaL Lhe respondenL Commlsslon on AppolnLmenLs ln a
Memorandum lL prepared enumeraLed several facLors deLermlnaLlve of wheLher a
parLlcular acLlvlLy consLlLuLes pracLlce of law lL sLaLes
1 nobltoollty 1he Lerm pracLlce of law lmplles cusLomarlly or hablLually holdlng
ones self ouL Lo Lhe publlc as a lawyer %eople vs vlllanueva 14 SC8A 109 clLlng
SLaLe v 8oyen 4 SL 322 98 nC 644) such as when one sends a clrcular announclng
Lhe esLabllshmenL of a law offlce for Lhe general pracLlce of law %uS v ney 8osque
8 hll 146) or when one Lakes Lhe oaLh of offlce as a lawyer before a noLary publlc
and flles a manlfesLaLlon wlLh Lhe Supreme CourL lnformlng lL of hls lnLenLlon Lo
pracLlce law ln all courLs ln Lhe counLry %eople v ue Luna 102 hll 968)
8C8LLM A8LAS ln LLCAL L1PlCS CASLS #1 | lZC8LLLL 1 uLCC | 7
racLlce ls more Lhan an lsolaLed appearance for lL conslsLs ln frequenL or cusLomary
acLlon a successlon of acLs of Lhe same klnd ln oLher words lL ls a hablLual exerclse
%eople v vlllanueva 14 SC8A 109 clLlng SLaLe v CoLner 127 p 1 87 kan 864)
2 compeosotloo racLlce of law lmplles LhaL one musL have presenLed hlmself Lo be
ln Lhe acLlve and conLlnued pracLlce of Lhe legal professlon and LhaL hls professlonal
servlces are avallable Lo Lhe publlc for compensaLlon as a servlce of hls llvellhood or
ln conslderaLlon of hls sald servlces %eople v vlllanueva supra) Pence charglng for
servlces such as preparaLlon of documenLs lnvolvlng Lhe use of legal knowledge and
sklll ls wlLhln Lhe Lerm pracLlce of law %Lrnanl ano 8ar 8evlewer ln Legal and
!udlclal LLhlcs 1988 ed p 8 clLlng eople v eoples SLockyards SLaLe 8ank 176 n8
901) and one who renders an oplnlon as Lo Lhe proper lnLerpreLaLlon of a sLaLuLe
and recelves pay for lL ls Lo LhaL exLenL pracLlclng law %MarLln sopto p 806 clLlng
Mendelaun v CllberL and 8arkeL Mfg Co 290 n?S 462) lf compensaLlon ls
expecLed all advlce Lo cllenLs and all acLlon Laken for Lhem ln maLLers connecLed
wlLh Lhe law are pracLlclng law %Llwood llLcheLLe eL al v ArLhur C 1aylor 94AL8
336339)
3 Appllcotloo of low leqol ptloclple ptoctlce ot ptoceJote whlch calls for legal
knowledge Lralnlng and experlence ls wlLhln Lhe Lerm pracLlce of law %MarLln
sopto)
4 Attotoeyclleot telotloosblp Lngaglng ln Lhe pracLlce of law presupposes Lhe
exlsLence of lawyercllenL relaLlonshlp Pence where a lawyer underLakes an acLlvlLy
whlch requlres knowledge of law buL lnvolves no aLLorneycllenL relaLlonshlp such as
Leachlng law or wrlLlng law books or arLlcles he cannoL be sald Lo be engaged ln Lhe
pracLlce of hls professlon or a lawyer %Agpalo Legal LLhlcs 1989 ed p 30)
3

1he aboveenumeraLed facLors would l belleve be useful alds ln deLermlnlng wheLher or
noL respondenL Monsod meeLs Lhe consLlLuLlonal quallflcaLlon of pracLlce of law for aL
leasL Len %10) years aL Lhe Llme of hls appolnLmenL as CCMLLLC Chalrman
1he followlng relevanL quesLlons may be asked
1 uld respondenL Monsod perform any of Lhe Lasks whlch are pecullar Lo Lhe pracLlce of
law?
2 uld respondenL perform such Lasks cusLomarlly or hablLually?
3 Assumlng LhaL he performed any of such Lasks hablLually dld he do so PA8l1uALL? lC8
A1 LLAS1 1Ln %10) ?LA8S prlor Lo hls appolnLmenL as CCMLLLC Chalrman?
Clven Lhe employmenL or [ob hlsLory of respondenL Monsod as appears from Lhe records l
am persuaded LhaL lf ever he dld perform any of Lhe Lasks whlch consLlLuLe Lhe pracLlce of
law he JlJ oot Jo so nA8l1uAll fot ot leost teo (10) yeots prlor Lo hls appolnLmenL as
CCMLLLC Chalrman
Whlle lL may be granLed LhaL he performed Lasks and acLlvlLles whlch could be
laLlLudlnarlanly consldered acLlvlLles pecullar Lo Lhe pracLlce of law llke Lhe drafLlng of
legal documenLs and Lhe renderlng of legal oplnlon or advlce such were lsolaLed
LransacLlons or acLlvlLles whlch do noL quallfy hls pasL endeavors as pracLlce of law 1o
become engaged ln Lhe pracLlce of law Lhere musL be a cootloolty or a soccessloo of octs
As observed by Lhe SollclLor Ceneral ln leople vs vllloooevo
4

LssenLlally Lhe word prlvaLe pracLlce of law lmplles LhaL one musL have presenLed
hlmself Lo be ln Lhe octlve and cootlooeJ ptoctlce of tbe leqol ptofessloo and LhaL hls
professlonal servlces are avallable Lo Lhe publlc for a compensaLlon as a source of hls
llvellhood or ln conslderaLlon of hls sald servlces
ACCC8ulnCL? my voLe ls Lo C8An1 Lhe peLlLlon and Lo declare respondenL Monsod as noL
quallfled for Lhe poslLlon of CCMLLLC Chalrman for noL havlng engaged ln Lhe pracLlce of
law for aL leasL Len %10) years prlor Lo hls appolnLmenL Lo such poslLlon
CkU2 l dlssenLlng
l am slncerely lmpressed by Lhe pooeoclo of my broLher aras buL flnd l musL dlssenL [usL
Lhe same 1here are cerLaln polnLs on whlch l musL dlffer wlLh hlm whlle of course
respecLlng hlsvlewpolnL
1o begln wlLh l do noL Lhlnk we are lnhlblLed from examlnlng Lhe quallflcaLlons of Lhe
respondenL slmply because hls nomlnaLlon has been conflrmed by Lhe Commlsslon on
AppolnLmenLs ln my vlew Lhls ls noL a pollLlcal quesLlon LhaL we are barred from
resolvlng ueLermlnaLlon of Lhe appolnLees credenLlals ls made on Lhe basls of Lhe
esLabllshed facLs noL Lhe dlscreLlon of LhaL body Lven lf lL were Lhe exerclse of LhaL
dlscreLlon would sLlll be sub[ecL Lo our revlew
ln loeqo whlch ls clLed ln Lhe pooeoclo whaL was lnvolved was Lhe dlscreLlon of Lhe
appolnLlng auLhorlLy Lo cboose beLween Lwo clalmanLs Lo Lhe same offlce who boLh
possessed Lhe requlred quallflcaLlons lL was LhaL klnd of dlscreLlon LhaL we sald could noL
be revlewed
lf a person elecLed by no less Lhan Lhe soverelgn people may be ousLed by Lhls CourL for
lack of Lhe requlred quallflcaLlons l see no reason why we cannoL dlsquallfled an
appolnLee slmply because he has passed Lhe Commlsslon on AppolnLmenLs
Lven Lhe resldenL of Lhe hlllpplnes may be declared lnellglble by Lhls CourL ln an
approprlaLe proceedlng noLwlLhsLandlng LhaL he has been found accepLable by no less
Lhan Lhe enfranchlsed clLlzenry 1he reason ls LhaL whaL we would be examlnlng ls noL Lhe
wlsJom of hls elecLlon buL wheLher or noL he was quallfled Lo be elecLed ln Lhe flrsL place
Comlng now Lo Lhe quallflcaLlons of Lhe prlvaLe respondenL l fear LhaL Lhe pooeoclo may
have been Loo sweeplng ln lLs deflnlLlon of Lhe phrase pracLlce of law as Lo render Lhe
quallflcaLlon pracLlcally LooLhless lrom Lhe numerous acLlvlLles accepLed as embraced ln
Lhe Lerm l have Lhe uncomforLable feellng LhaL one does noL even have Lo be a lawyer Lo
be engaged ln Lhe pracLlce of law as long as hls acLlvlLles lnvolve Lhe appllcaLlon of some
law however perlpherally 1he sLock broker and Lhe lnsurance ad[usLer and Lhe realLor
could come under Lhe deflnlLlon as Lhey deal wlLh or glve advlce on maLLers LhaL are llkely
Lo become lnvolved ln llLlgaLlon
1he lawyer ls consldered engaged ln Lhe pracLlce of law even lf hls maln occupaLlon ls
anoLher buslness and he lnLerpreLs and applles some law only as an lncldenL of such
buslness 1haL covers every company organlzed under Lhe CorporaLlon Code and regulaLed
by Lhe SLC under u 902A Conslderlng Lhe ramlflcaLlons of Lhe modern socleLy Lhere ls
hardly any acLlvlLy LhaL ls noL affecLed by some law or governmenL regulaLlon Lhe
buslnessman musL know abouL and observe ln facL agaln golng by Lhe deflnlLlon a lawyer
does noL even have Lo be parL of a buslness concern Lo be consldered a pracLlLloner Pe
can be so deemed when on hls own he renLs a house or buys a car or consulLs a docLor as
Lhese acLs lnvolve hls knowledge and appllcaLlon of Lhe laws regulaLlng such LransacLlons
lf he operaLes a publlc uLlllLy vehlcle as hls maln source of llvellhood he would sLlll be
deemed engaged ln Lhe pracLlce of law because he musL obey Lhe ubllc Servlce AcL and
Lhe rules and regulaLlons of Lhe Lnergy 8egulaLory 8oard
1he pooeoclo quoLes an Amerlcan declslon deflnlng Lhe pracLlce of law as Lhe
performance of any acLs ln or ouL of courL commonly undersLood Lo be Lhe pracLlce of
law whlch Lells us absoluLely noLhlng 1he declslon goes on Lo say LhaL because lawyers
perform almosL every funcLlon known ln Lhe commerclal and governmenLal realm such a
deflnlLlon would obvlously be Loo global Lo be workable
1he effecL of Lhe deflnlLlon glven ln Lhe pooeoclo ls Lo conslder vlrLually every lawyer Lo be
engaged ln Lhe pracLlce of law even lf he does noL earn hls llvlng or aL leasL parL of lL as a
lawyer lL ls enough LhaL hls acLlvlLles are lncldenLally %even lf only remoLely) connecLed
wlLh some law ordlnance or regulaLlon 1he posslble excepLlon ls Lhe lawyer whose
lncome ls derlved from Leachlng ballroom danclng or escorLlng wrlnkled ladles wlLh
pubescenL preLenslons
1he respondenLs credenLlals are lmpresslve Lo be sure buL Lhey do noL persuade me LhaL
he has been engaged ln Lhe pracLlce of law for Len years as requlred by Lhe ConsLlLuLlon lL
ls conceded LhaL he has been engaged ln buslness and flnance ln whlch areas he has
dlsLlngulshed hlmself buL as an execuLlve and economlsL and noL as a pracLlclng lawyer
1he plaln facL ls LhaL he has occupled Lhe varlous poslLlons llsLed ln hls resume by vlrLue of
hls experlence and presLlge as a buslnessman and noL as an aLLorneyaLlaw whose
prlnclpal aLLenLlon ls focused on Lhe law Lven lf lL be argued LhaL he was acLlng as a lawyer
when he lobbled ln Congress for agrarlan and urban reform served ln Lhe nAMl8LL and
Lhe ConsLlLuLlonal Commlsslon %LogeLher wlLh nonlawyers llke farmers and prlesLs) and
was a member of Lhe uavlde Commlsslon he has noL proved LhaL hls acLlvlLles ln Lhese
capaclLles exLended over Lhe prescrlbed 10year perlod of acLual pracLlce of Lhe law Pe ls
doubLless emlnenLly quallfled for many oLher poslLlons worLhy of hls abundanL LalenLs buL
noL as Chalrman of Lhe Commlsslon on LlecLlons
l have much admlraLlon for respondenL Monsod no less Lhan for Mr !usLlce aras buL l
musL regreLfully voLe Lo granL Lhe peLlLlon

GU1ILkkL2 Ik l dlssenLlng
When Lhls peLlLlon was flled Lhere was hope LhaL engaglng ln Lhe pracLlce of law as a
quallflcaLlon for publlc offlce would be seLLled one way or anoLher ln falrly deflnlLlve Lerms
unforLunaLely Lhls was noL Lhe resulL
Cf Lhe fourLeen %14) member CourL 3 are of Lhe vlew LhaL Mr ChrlsLlan Monsod engaged
ln Lhe pracLlce of law %wlLh one of Lhese 3 leavlng hls voLe behlnd whlle on offlclal leave
buL noL expresslng hls clear sLand on Lhe maLLer) 4 caLegorlcally sLaLlng LhaL he dld noL
pracLlce law 2 voLlng ln Lhe resulL because Lhere was no error so gross as Lo amounL Lo
grave abuse of dlscreLlon one of offlclal leave wlLh no lnsLrucLlons lefL behlnd on how he
vlewed Lhe lssue and 2 noL Laklng parL ln Lhe dellberaLlons and Lhe declslon
1here are Lwo key facLors LhaL make our Lask dlfflculL llrsL ls our revlewlng Lhe work of a
consLlLuLlonal Commlsslon on AppolnLmenLs whose duLy ls preclsely Lo look lnLo Lhe
quallflcaLlons of persons appolnLed Lo hlgh offlce Lven lf Lhe Commlsslon errs we have no
power Lo seL aslde error We can look only lnLo grave abuse of dlscreLlon or whlmslcally
and arblLrarlness Second ls our bellef LhaL Mr Monsod possesses superlor quallflcaLlons ln
Lerms of execuLlve ablllLy proflclency ln managemenL educaLlonal background experlence
ln lnLernaLlonal banklng and flnance and lnsLanL recognlLlon by Lhe publlc Pls lnLegrlLy
and compeLence are noL quesLloned by Lhe peLlLloner WhaL ls before us ls compllance
wlLh a speclflc requlremenL wrlLLen lnLo Lhe ConsLlLuLlon
lnsplLe of my hlgh regard for Mr Monsod l cannoL shlrk my consLlLuLlonal duLy Pe has
never engaged ln Lhe pracLlce of law for even one year Pe ls a member of Lhe bar buL Lo
say LhaL he has pracLlced law ls sLreLchlng Lhe Lerm beyond raLlonal llmlLs
A person may have passed Lhe bar examlnaLlons 8ot lf be bos oot JeJlcoteJ bls llfe to tbe
low lf be bos oot eoqoqeJ lo oo octlvlty wbete membetsblp lo tbe bot ls o tepoltemeot l fall
Lo see how he can clalm Lo have been engaged ln Lhe pracLlce of law
Lngaglng ln Lhe pracLlce of law ls a quallflcaLlon noL only for CCMLLLC chalrman buL also
for appolnLmenL Lo Lhe Supreme CourL and all lower courLs WhaL klnd of !udges or !usLlces
wlll we have lf Lhere maln occupaLlon ls selllng real esLaLe managlng a buslness
corporaLlon servlng ln facLflndlng commlLLee worklng ln medla or operaLlng a farm wlLh
no acLlve lnvolvemenL ln Lhe law wheLher ln CovernmenL or prlvaLe pracLlce excepL LhaL
ln one [oyful momenL ln Lhe dlsLanL pasL Lhey happened Lo pass Lhe bar examlnaLlons?
1he ConsLlLuLlon uses Lhe phrase engaged ln Lhe pracLlce of law for aL leasL Len years
1he dellberaLe cholce of words shows LhaL Lhe pracLlce envlsloned ls acLlve and regular
noL lsolaLed occaslonal accldenLal lnLermlLLenL lncldenLal seasonal or exLemporaneous
1o be engaged ln an acLlvlLy for Len years requlres commlLLed parLlclpaLlon ln someLhlng
whlch ls Lhe resulL of ones declslve cholce lL means LhaL one ls occupled and lnvolved ln
8C8LLM A8LAS ln LLCAL L1PlCS CASLS #1 | lZC8LLLL 1 uLCC | 8
Lhe enLerprlse one ls obllged or pledged Lo carry lL ouL wlLh lnLenL and aLLenLlon durlng
Lhe Lenyear perlod
l agree wlLh Lhe peLlLloner LhaL based on Lhe blodaLa submlLLed by respondenL Monsod Lo
Lhe Commlsslon on AppolnLmenLs Lhe laLLer has noL been engaged ln Lhe pracLlce of law
for aL leasL Len years ln facL lf appears LhaL Mr Monsod has never pracLlced law excepL
for an alleged one year perlod afLer passlng Lhe bar examlnaLlons when he worked ln hls
faLhers law flrm Lven Lhen hls law pracLlce musL have been exLremely llmlLed because he
was also worklng for MA and h u degrees ln Lconomlcs aL Lhe unlverslLy of
ennsylvanla durlng LhaL perlod Pow could he pracLlce law ln Lhe unlLed SLaLes whlle noL
a member of Lhe 8ar Lhere?
1he professlonal llfe of Lhe respondenL follows
1131 8espondenL Monsods acLlvlLles slnce hls passlng Lhe 8ar examlnaLlons ln
1961 conslsL of Lhe followlng
1 19611963 MA ln Lconomlcs %h u candldaLe) unlverslLy of ennsylvanla
2 19631970 World 8ank Croup LconomlsL lndusLry ueparLmenL CperaLlons
LaLln Amerlcan ueparLmenL ulvlslon Chlef SouLh Asla and Mlddle LasL lnLernaLlonal
llnance CorporaLlon
3 19701973 Meralco Croup LxecuLlve of varlous companles le Meralco
SecurlLles CorporaLlon hlllpplne eLroleum CorporaLlon hlllpplne LlecLrlc
CorporaLlon
4 19731976 ?u[ulco Croup resldenL lllCaplLal uevelopmenL CorporaLlon and
afflllaLed companles
3 19761978 llnaclera Manlla Chlef LxecuLlve Cfflcer
6 19781986 CuevenL Croup of Companles Chlef LxecuLlve Cfflcer
7 19861987 hlllpplne ConsLlLuLlonal Commlsslon Member
8 19891991 1he lacLllndlng Commlsslon on Lhe uecember 1989 Coup ALLempL
Member
9 resenLly Chalrman of Lhe 8oard and Chlef LxecuLlve Cfflcer of Lhe followlng
companles
a ACL ConLalner hlllpplnes lnc
b uaLaprep hlllpplnes
c hlllpplne SunsysLems roducLs lnc
d Semlrara Coal CorporaLlon
e C8L 1lmber CorporaLlon
Member of Lhe 8oard of Lhe lollowlng
a Lnglneerlng ConsLrucLlon CorporaLlon of Lhe hlllpplnes
b llrsL hlllpplne Lnergy CorporaLlon
c llrsL hlllpplne Poldlngs CorporaLlon
d llrsL hlllpplne lndusLrlal CorporaLlon
e Craphlc ALeller
f Manlla LlecLrlc Company
g hlllpplne Commerclal CaplLal lnc
h hlllpplne LlecLrlc CorporaLlon
l 1arlac 8eforesLaLlon and LnvlronmenL LnLerprlses
[ 1olong AquaculLure CorporaLlon
k vlsayan AquaculLure CorporaLlon
l Culmaras AquaculLure CorporaLlon %8ollo pp 2122)
1here ls noLhlng ln Lhe above blodaLa whlch even remoLely lndlcaLes LhaL respondenL
Monsod has glven tbe low enough aLLenLlon or a cerLaln degree of commlLmenL and
parLlclpaLlon as would supporL ln all slncerlLy and candor Lhe clalm of havlng engaged ln lLs
pracLlce for aL leasL Len years lnsLead of worklng as a lawyer he has lawyers worklng for
hlm lnsLead of glvlng recelvlng LhaL legal advlce of legal servlces he was Lhe oneadvlce
and Lhose servlces as an execuLlve buL noL as a lawyer
1he dellberaLlons before Lhe Commlsslon on AppolnLmenLs show an efforL Lo equaLe
engaged ln Lhe pracLlce of law wlLh Lhe use of legal knowledge ln varlous flelds of
endeavor such as commerce lndusLry clvlc work blue rlbbon lnvesLlgaLlons agrarlan
reform eLc where such knowledge would be helpful
l regreL LhaL l cannoL [oln ln playlng fasL and loose wlLh a Lerm whlch even an ordlnary
layman accepLs as havlng a famlllar and cusLomary welldeflned meanlng Lvery resldenL of
Lhls counLry who has reached Lhe age of dlscernmenL has Lo know follow or apply Lhe law
aL varlous Llmes ln hls llfe Legal knowledge ls useful lf noL necessary for Lhe buslness
execuLlve leglslaLor mayor barangay capLaln Leacher pollceman farmer flsherman
markeL vendor and sLudenL Lo name only a few And yeL can Lhese people honesLly asserL
LhaL as such Lhey are engaged ln Lhe pracLlce of law?
1he ConsLlLuLlon requlres havlng been engaged ln Lhe pracLlce of law for aL leasL Len
years lL ls noL saLlsfled wlLh havlng been a member of Lhe hlllpplne bar for aL leasL Len
years
Some Amerlcan courLs have deflned Lhe pracLlce of law as follows
1he pracLlce of law lnvolves noL only appearance ln courL ln connecLlon wlLh
llLlgaLlon buL also servlces rendered ouL of courL and lL lncludes Lhe glvlng of advlce
or Lhe renderlng of any servlces requlrlng Lhe use of legal sklll or knowledge such as
preparlng a wlll conLracL or oLher lnsLrumenL Lhe legal effecL of whlch under Lhe
facLs and condlLlons lnvolved musL be carefully deLermlned leople ex tel cblcoqo
8ot Asso v 1lokoff 399 lll 282 77 nL2d 693 leople ex tel llllools 5tote 8ot Asso v
leoples 5tock otJs 5tote 8ook 344 lll 462176 nL 901 and cases clLed
lL would be dlfflculL lf noL lmposslble Lo lay down a formula or deflnlLlon of whaL
consLlLuLes Lhe pracLlce of law racLlclng law has been deflned as racLlclng as an
aLLorney or counselor aL law accordlng Lo Lhe laws and cusLoms of our courLs ls Lhe
glvlng of advlce or rendlLlon of any sorL of servlce by any person flrm or corporaLlon
when Lhe glvlng of such advlce or rendlLlon of such servlce requlres Lhe use of any
degree of legal knowledge or sklll WlLhouL adopLlng LhaL deflnlLlon we referred Lo
lL as belng subsLanLlally correcL ln leople ex tel llllools 5tote 8ot Asso v leoples
5tock otJs 5tote 8ook 344 lll 462176 nL 901 %eople v Schafer 87 nL 2d 773
776)
lor ones acLlons Lo come wlLhln Lhe purvlew of ptoctlce of low Lhey should noL only be
acLlvlLles pecullar Lo Lhe work of a lawyer Lhey should also be performed hablLually
frequenLly or cusLomarlly Lo wlL
xxx xxx xxx
8espondenLs answers Lo quesLlons propounded Lo hlm were raLher evaslve Pe was
asked wheLher or noL he ever prepared conLracLs for Lhe parLles ln realesLaLe
LransacLlons where he was noL Lhe procurlng agenL Pe answered very seldom ln
answer Lo Lhe quesLlon as Lo how many Llmes he had prepared conLracLs for Lhe
parLles durlng Lhe LwenLyone years of hls buslness he sald l have no ldea When
asked lf lL would be more Lhan half a dozen Llmes hls answer was l suppose Asked lf
he dld noL recall maklng Lhe sLaLemenL Lo several parLles LhaL he had prepared
conLracLs ln a large number of lnsLances he answered l donL recall exacLly whaL
was sald When asked lf he dld noL remember saylng LhaL he had made a pracLlce of
preparlng deeds morLgages and conLracLs and charglng a fee Lo Lhe parLles Lherefor
ln lnsLances where he was noL Lhe broker ln Lhe deal he answered Well l donL
belleve so LhaL ls noL a pracLlce ressed furLher for an answer as Lo hls pracLlce ln
preparlng conLracLs and deeds for parLles where he was noL Lhe broker he flnally
answered l have done abouL everyLhlng LhaL ls on Lhe books as far as real esLaLe ls
concerned
xxx xxx xxx
8espondenL Lakes Lhe poslLlon LhaL because he ls a realesLaLe broker he has a lawful
rlghL Lo do any legal work ln connecLlon wlLh realesLaLe LransacLlons especlally ln
drawlng of realesLaLe conLracLs deeds morLgages noLes and Lhe llke 1here ls no
doubL buL LhaL he has engaged ln Lhese pracLlces over Lhe years and has charged for
hls servlces ln LhaL connecLlon %eople v Schafer 87 nL 2d 773)
xxx xxx xxx
An aLLorney ln Lhe mosL general sense ls a person deslgnaLed or employed by
anoLher Lo acL ln hls sLead an agenL more especlally one of a class of persons
auLhorlzed Lo appear and acL for sulLors or defendanLs ln legal proceedlngs SLrlcLly
Lhese professlonal persons are aLLorneys aL law and nonprofesslonal agenLs are
properly sLyled aLLorneys ln facL buL Lhe slngle word ls much used as meanlng an
aLLorney aL law A person may be an aLLorney ln facLo for anoLher wlLhouL belng an
aLLorney aL law Abb Law ulcL ALLorney A publlc aLLorney or aLLorney aL law says
WebsLer ls an offlcer of a courL of law legally quallfled Lo prosecuLe and defend
acLlons ln such courL on Lhe tetoloet of cllenLs 1he prlnclpal duLles of an aLLorney
are %1) Lo be Lrue Lo Lhe courL and Lo hls cllenL %2) Lo manage Lhe buslness of hls
cllenL wlLh care sklll and lnLegrlLy %3) Lo keep hls cllenL lnformed as Lo Lhe sLaLe of
hls buslness %4) Lo keep hls secreLs conflded Lo hlm as such Pls rlghLs are Lo be
[usLly compensaLed for hls servlces 8ouv Law ulcL LlL ALLorney 1be ttoosltlve
vetb ptoctlce os JefloeJ by webstet meoos to Jo ot petfotm ftepoeotly
costomotlly ot bobltoolly to petfotm by o soccessloo of octs os to ptoctlce qomloq
to cotty oo lo ptoctlce ot tepeoteJ octloo to opply os o tbeoty to teol llfe to
exetclse os o ptofessloo ttoJe ott etc os to ptoctlce low or medlclne eLc
%SLaLe v 8ryan SL 322 323 Lmphasls supplled)
ln Lhls [urlsdlcLlon we have ruled LhaL Lhe pracLlce of law denoLes frequency or a
successlon of acLs 1hus we sLaLed ln Lhe case of eople v vlllanueva %14 SC8A 109
1963)
xxx xxx xxx
racLlce ls more Lhan an lsolaLed appearance for lL conslsLs ln frequenL or cusLomary
acLlons a successlon of acLs of Lhe same klnd ln oLher words lL ls frequenL hablLual
exerclse %SLaLe v CoLner 127 p 1 87 kan 864 42 L8A MS 768) racLlce of law Lo fall
wlLhln Lhe prohlblLlon of sLaLuLe has been lnLerpreLed as cusLomarlly or hablLually holdlng
ones self ouL Lo Lhe publlc as a lawyer and demandlng paymenL for such servlces %aL
p 112)
lL ls Lo be noLed LhaL Lhe Commlsslon on AppolnLmenL lLself recognlzes bobltoollty as a
requlred componenL of Lhe meanlng of pracLlce of law ln a Memorandum prepared and
lssued by lL Lo wlL
l nobltoollty 1he Lerm pracLlce of law lmplles cusLomarllyor hablLually holdlng
ones self ouL Lo Lhe publlc as a lawyer %eople v vlllanueva 14 SC8A 109 clLlng SLaLe
v 8ryan 4 SL 322 98 nC 644) such as when one sends a clrcular announclng Lhe
esLabllshmenL of a law offlce for Lhe general pracLlce of law %uS v noy 8osque 8
hll 146) or when one Lakes Lhe oaLh of offlce as a lawyer before a noLary publlc
and flles a manlfesLaLlon wlLh Lhe Supreme CourL lnformlng lL of hls lnLenLlon Lo
pracLlce law ln all courLs ln Lhe counLry %eople v ue Luna 102 hll 968)
racLlce ls more Lhan an lsolaLed appearance for lL conslsLs ln frequenL or cusLomary
acLlon a successlon of acLs of Lhe same klnd ln oLher words lL ls a hablLual exerclse
%eople v vlllanueva 14 SC8A 1 09 clLlng SLaLe v CoLner 1 27 p 1 87 kan 864)
%8ollo p 113)
xxx xxx xxx
Whlle Lhe career as a buslnessman of respondenL Monsod may have proflLed from hls legal
knowledge Lhe use of such legal knowledge ls lncldenLal and conslsLs of lsolaLed acLlvlLles
whlch do noL fall under Lhe denomlnaLlon of pracLlce of law Admlsslon Lo Lhe pracLlce of
law was noL requlred for membershlp ln Lhe ConsLlLuLlonal Commlsslon or ln Lhe lacL
llndlng Commlsslon on Lhe 1989 Coup ALLempL Any speclflc legal acLlvlLles whlch may
have been asslgned Lo Mr Monsod whlle a member may be llkened Lo lsolaLed
8C8LLM A8LAS ln LLCAL L1PlCS CASLS #1 | lZC8LLLL 1 uLCC | 9
LransacLlons of forelgn corporaLlons ln Lhe hlllpplnes whlch do noL caLegorlze Lhe forelgn
corporaLlons as dolng buslness ln Lhe hlllpplnes As ln Lhe pracLlce of law Joloq bosloess
also should be acLlve and conLlnuous lsolaLed buslness LransacLlons or occaslonal
lncldenLal and casual LransacLlons are noL wlLhln Lhe conLexL of dolng buslness 1hls was
our rullng ln Lhe case of Aotom coosollJoteJ loc v coott of oppeols 143 SC8A 288
1986)
8espondenL Monsod corporaLe execuLlve clvlc leader and member of Lhe ConsLlLuLlonal
Commlsslon may possess Lhe background compeLence lnLegrlLy and dedlcaLlon Lo
quallfy for such hlgh offlces as resldenL vlceresldenL SenaLor Congressman or
Covernor buL Lhe ConsLlLuLlon ln prescrlblng Lhe speclflc quallflcaLlon of havlng engaged ln
Lhe pracLlce of law for aL leasL Len %10) years for Lhe poslLlon of CCMLLLC Chalrman has
ordered LhaL he may noL be conflrmed for LhaL offlce 1he ConsLlLuLlon charges Lhe publlc
respondenLs no less Lhan Lhls CourL Lo obey lLs mandaLe
l Lherefore belleve LhaL Lhe Commlsslon on AppolnLmenLs commlLLed grave abuse of
dlscreLlon ln conflrmlng Lhe nomlnaLlon of respondenL Monsod as Chalrman of Lhe
CCMLLLC
l voLe Lo C8An1 Lhe peLlLlon
8lJlo I Jlsseot
AC No 6S04 August 9 200S
GLCkGL C SCLA1AN ComplalnanL vs A11S CSCAk A INCCLN1LS and ICSL C
CAMANC 8espondenL
u L C l S l C n
1|nga l
1he presenL case focuses on a crlLlcal aspecL of Lhe lawyercllenL relaLlonshlpLhe duLy of
loyalLy 1he fldellLy lawyers owe Lhelr cllenLs ls LradlLlonally characLerlzed as undlvlded
1hls means LhaL lawyers musL represenL Lhelr cllenLs and serve Lhelr needs wlLhouL
lnLerference or lmpalrmenL from any confllcLlng lnLeresL
1hls admlnlsLraLlve case Lraces lLs rooLs from Lhe manner by whlch ALLys !ose C Camano
and Cscar A lnocenLes responded Lo Lhe efforLs of complalnanL Ceorge C SolaLan Lo
lease a cerLaln Cuezon ClLy aparLmenL belonglng Lo Lhe aLLorneys' cllenLs Cn Lhe basls of
acLs branded by Lhe lnLegraLed 8ar of Lhe hlllpplnes %l8) as borderlng on Lechnlcal
exLorLlon accepLlng funds and glvlng unsollclLed advlce Lo an adverse parLy and casLlng
doubLs as Lo Lhe procedure of levy Lhe l8 resolved
1
Lo recommend Lhe suspenslon of
ALLy Camano from Lhe pracLlce of law for one %1) year lL llkewlse recommended Lhe
reprlmand of ALLy lnocenLes whom lL held llable for Lhe aforemenLloned acLs of hls
assoclaLe under Lhe prlnclple of command responslblllLy
Cnly ALLy lnocenLes has elecLed Lo conLesL Lhe resoluLlon of Lhe l8 as he quesLlons Lhe
proprleLy of hls belng held admlnlsLraLlvely llable for acLs done by ALLy Camano
2

Powever Lhe recommendaLlon Lo suspend ALLy Camano shall also be passed upon by
vlrLue of SecLlon 12 8ule 1398 of Lhe 8ules of CourL
3

ALLys lnocenLes and Camano were boLh engaged ln Lhe pracLlce of law under Lhe flrm
name of Oscot looceotes ooJ Assoclotes low Offlce ALLy lnocenLes held offlce ln hls home
locaLed aL no 19 Marunong SL CenLral ulsLrlcL Cuezon ClLy whlle ALLy Camano was
sLaLloned aL an exLenslon offlce of Lhe flrm locaLed ln 3rd/l 936 Aurora 8lvd Culrlno
ulsL Cuezon ClLy
1he Oscot looceotes ooJ Assoclotes low Offlce was reLalned by spouses Andres and
Ludlvlna CenlLo %spouses CenlLo) owners of an aparLmenL complex %Lhe CenlLo
AparLmenLs) locaLed aL 239 1andang Sora cor vlsayas Avenue Cuezon ClLy when Lhe
CenlLo AparLmenLs were placed under sequesLraLlon by Lhe resldenLlal Commlsslon on
Cood CovernmenL %CCC) on 9 !uly 1986
4
1he law offlce represenLed Lhe spouses CenlLo
before Lhe CCC and Lhe Sandlganbayan and subsequenLly wlLh auLhorlLy from Lhe
CCC
3
ln e[ecLmenL cases agalnsL nonpaylng LenanLs occupylng Lhe CenlLo AparLmenLs
6

ComplalnanL's slsLer Cllcerla SolaLan was a LenanL ln uoor 10 hase 8 of Lhe CenlLo
AparLmenLs lL appears from Lhe records LhaL Cllcerla SolaLan lefL for Lhe unlLed SLaLes ln
1986 and slnce Lhen Lhe aparLmenL was elLher lnLermlLLenLly used by members of her
famlly or placed under Lhe charge of careLakers
7
ln AugusL 1987 a complalnL for
e[ecLmenL for nonpaymenL of renLals was flled agalnsL Cllcerla SolaLan
8
Cn 3 March 1988
ln a [udgmenL by defaulL a ueclsloo
9
was rendered orderlng Cllcerla SolaLan Lo vacaLe Lhe
premlses of Lhe aparLmenL pay Lhe spouses CenlLo Lhe amounL of 1hlrLy 1housand Slx
Pundred esos %3060000) as unpald renLals from lebruary 1986 Lo !uly 1987 wlLh
lnLeresL aL 24 per annum from 20 AugusL 1987 unLll Lhe premlses are vacaLed 1en
1housand esos %1000000) as aLLorney's fees and cosLs of Lhe sulL
10

ComplalnanL was occupylng Lhe sub[ecL aparLmenL when he learned of Lhe [udgmenL
rendered agalnsL hls slsLer Cn 10 May 1988 prlor Lo Lhe lmplemenLaLlon of a wrlL Lo
execuLe Lhe [udgmenL complalnanL and hls moLher Llvlra SolaLan approached ALLy
lnocenLes aL hls home offlce ComplalnanL lnformed ALLy lnocenLes of hls deslre Lo arrange
Lhe execuLlon of a lease conLracL by vlrLue of whlch complalnanL would be Lhe new lessee
of Lhe aparLmenL and Lhus make posslble hls conLlnued sLay Lhereln ALLy lnocenLes
referred complalnanL and hls moLher Lo hls assoclaLe ALLy Camano Lhe aLLorney ln charge
of Lhe e[ecLmenL cases agalnsL LenanLs of Lhe CenlLo aparLmenLs AfLer Lhe exchange
complalnanL wenL Lo ALLy Camano aL Lhe saLelllLe offlce of ALLy lnocenLes's flrm lrom
here on ouL evenLs qulckly Lurned sour ulfferenL verslons of subsequenL evenLs were
presenLed 1he facLs reproduced hereunder are by and large culled from Lhe flndlngs of Lhe
l8 lnvesLlgaLlng Commlssloner Slegfred 8 Mlson
uurlng Lhe meeLlng wlLh ALLy Camano a verbal agreemenL was made ln whlch
complalnanL and hls moLher agreed Lo pay Lhe enLlre [udgmenL debL of Cllcerla SolaLan
lncludlng flfLy percenL of Lhe awarded aLLorney's fees and Cne 1housand Slx Pundred
esos %160000) as cosLs of sulL provlded LhaL ALLy Camano would allow complalnanL's
conLlnued sLay aL uoor 10 hase 8 of Lhe CenlLo AparLmenLs As parLlal compllance wlLh
Lhe agreemenL complalnanL lssued ln Lhe name ALLy Camano a check for llve 1housand
esos %300000) represenLlng half of Lhe 1000000 aLLorney's fees ad[udged agalnsL
complalnanL's slsLer
ComplalnanL and hls moLher falled Lo make any oLher paymenL 1hus Lhe sherlff ln
coordlnaLlon wlLh ALLy Camano and some pollcemen enforced Lhe wrlL of execuLlon on 22
!une 1988 and levled Lhe properLles found ln Lhe sub[ecL aparLmenL An aLLempL aL
renegoLlaLlon Look place aL Lhe lnslsLence of complalnanL resulLlng ln ALLy Camano's
acqulescence Lo release Lhe levled properLles and allowlng complalnanL Lo remaln aL Lhe
aparLmenL sub[ecL Lo Lhe laLLer's paymenL of cosLs lncurred ln enforclng Lhe wrlL of
execuLlon and lssuance of posLdaLed checks represenLlng lnsLallmenL renLal paymenLs
ComplalnanL Lhus lssued four %4) checks drawn on lar LasL 8ank and 1rusL Company
daLed Lhe flfLeenLh %13Lh) of !uly AugusL SepLember and CcLober 1988 each ln Lhe
amounL of 1hree 1housand lour Pundred esos %340000)
11
Palf of Lhe amounL
represenLed complalnanL's monLhly renLal whlle Lhe oLher half a monLhly lnsLallmenL for
Lhe paymenL of Cllcerla SolaLan's [udgmenL debL
Cn 28 !une 1988 acLlng on Lhe advlce of ALLy Camano complalnanL presenLed an AffldavlL
of Cwnershlp Lo Lhe sherlff who Lhen released Lhe levled lLems Lo complalnanL Powever a
Nottbeto nlll 3burner gas sLove was noL reLuned Lo complalnanL 1he sLove was ln facL
kepL by ALLy Camano ln Lhe unlL of Lhe CenlLo AparLmenLs whereln he Lemporarlly
sLayed
12
and LhereafLer Lurned over Lhe same Lo a cerLaln 8ecLo LsberLo careLaker of Lhe
CenlLo AparLmenLs
13

Cn 1 AugusL 1988 complalnanL flled Lhe lnsLanL admlnlsLraLlve case for dlsbarmenL agalnsL
ALLy lnocenLes and ALLy Camano
14
AfLer formal lnvesLlgaLlon and desplLe confllcLlng
LesLlmonles on Lhe Lenor and conLenL of agreemenLs and conversaLlons several dlsLurblng
facLs were revealed Lo have been unconLroverLedALLy Camano's accepLance from
complalnanL of aLLorney's fees and Lhe cosLs of lmplemenLlng Lhe wrlL of execuLlon
possesslon of complalnanL's levled Nottbeto nlll oven and advlce Lo complalnanL on how
Lo recover Lhe laLLer's levled lLems 1hus l8 lnvesLlgaLlng Commlssloner Slegfred 8
Mlson made Lhe followlng recommendaLlons vlz
8ased on Lhe facLs revealed ln Lhelr respecLlve Memoranda Lhe penalLy of slx %6) monLhs
suspenslon ls Lherefore recommended Lo be lmposed on 8espondenL Camano for
commlLLlng Lhe followlng acLs LhaL adversely reflecLs %slc) on hls moral flLness Lo conLlnue
Lo pracLlce law
1 Pe recelved money %3000 Lhen 1000) from Lhe adverse parLy purporLedly for
aLLorneys fees and for relmbursemenL of sherlff's expenses Such acL of accet|ng funds
from the adverse arty |n the rocess of |m|ement|ng a wr|t borders on techn|ca|
extort|on art|cu|ar|y |n ||ght of the factua| c|rcumstances as d|scussed
2 Pe gave unsollclLed advlce Lo Lhe adverse parLy ln suggesLlng Lhe flllng of an AffldavlL of
Cwnershlp over Lhe levled properLles a suggest|on ev|dent|y |n conf||ct w|th the |nterest
of h|s own c||ent suosed|y the Gen|tos
3 Pe falled Lo Lurn over Lhe gas sLove Lo elLher parLy Lhereby casLlng doubL as Lo Lhe
procedure of Lhe levy
8ased on Lhe facLs revealed Lhe penalLy of 8eprlmand ls Lherefore recommended Lo be
lmposed on 8espondenL lnocenLes for commlLLlng Lhe followlng acLs LhaL adversely reflecLs
%slc) ln hls flLness Lo conLlnue Lo pracLlce law
1 Pe a||owed Camano to erform a|| the aforement|oned acts e|ther by neg||gence or
|nadvertence whlch are lnlmlcal Lo Lhe legal professlon Pe cannoL clalm lgnorance or felgn
lnnocence ln Lhls parLlcular LransacLlon conslderlng LhaL Lhe ComplalnanLs Lhemselves
wenL Lo hls offlce on dlfferenL occaslons regardlng Lhls LransacLlon ulLlmaLely he
exerc|sed command resons|b|||ty over the case and had suerv|sory contro| over
kesondent Camano |nasmuch as he rece|ved er|od|c reorts e|ther by hone or |n
erson from the |atter
2 1he leLLer dlsclalmer execuLed by Mr CenlLo flled by 8espondenL lnocenLes does noL
mlLlgaLe any llablllLy whaLsoever slnce Lhe wrongdolng done agalnsL Lhe professlon cannoL
be undone by a mere leLLer from a Lhlrd parLy
13
%Lmphasls supplled)
1he l8 8oard of Covernors approved Lhe aforequoLed recommendaLlon wlLh Lhe
modlflcaLlon of an lncrease ln ALLy Camano's perlod of suspenslon from slx %6) monLhs Lo
one %1) year ln a resoluLlon sLaLlng vlz
8LSCLvLu Lo AuC1 and A8CvL as lL ls hereby AuC1Lu and A8CvLu Lhe 8eporL
and 8ecommendaLlon of Lhe of Lhe lnvesLlgaLlng Commlsslonerflndlng Lhe
recommendaLlon fully supporLed by Lhe evldence on record and Lhe appllcable laws and
rules wlLh modlflcaLlon and for accepLlng funds from adverse parLy ln Lhe process of
lmplemenLlng a wrlL borders on Lechnlcal exLorLlon for glvlng unsollclLed advlce Lo Lhe
adverse parLy a suggesLlon evldenLly ln confllcL wlLh Lhe lnLeresL of hls own cllenL and for
casLlng doubLs Lo Lhe procedure of Lhe levy ALLy !ose C Camano ls hereby SuSLnuLu
from Lhe pracLlce of law for one %1) year llkewlse ALLy Cscar lnocenLes ls hereby
8L8lMAnuLu for he exerclsed command responslblllLy over Lhe case lnasmuch as he
recelved perlodlc reporLs elLher by phone or ln person
16

1he l8 held LhaL ALLy Camano's acL of glvlng unsollclLed advlce Lo complalnanL ls a
culpable acL because Lhe advlce confllcLed wlLh Lhe lnLeresL of hls cllenLs Lhe spouses
CenlLo 1he rule on confllcLlng lnLeresLs esLabllshed ln 8ule 1303 of Lhe Code of
rofesslonal 8esponslblllLy deals wlLh confllcLs ln Lhe lnLeresLs of an aLLorney's acLual
cllenLs among Lhemselves of exlsLlng and prospecLlve cllenLs and of Lhe aLLorney and hls
cllenLs lL sLaLes LhaL a lawyer shall noL represenL confllcLlng lnLeresLs excepL by wrlLLen
consenL of all concerned glven afLer a full dlsclosure of Lhe facLs
1he relaLlon of aLLorney and cllenL beglns from Lhe Llme an aLLorney ls reLalned
17
An
aLLorney has no power Lo acL as counsel or legal represenLaLlve for a person wlLhouL belng
8C8LLM A8LAS ln LLCAL L1PlCS CASLS #1 | lZC8LLLL 1 uLCC | 10
reLalned
18
1o esLabllsh Lhe professlonal relaLlon lL ls sufflclenL LhaL Lhe advlce and
asslsLance of an aLLorney are soughL and recelved ln any manner perLlnenL Lo hls
professlon
19
AL Lhe Llme Lhe quesLloned sLaLemenL was made ALLy Camano had called Lhe
pollce Lo resLraln complalnanL from surrepLlLlously pulllng ouL Lhe levled properLles from
Lhe aparLmenL complex by vlrLue of whlch Lhe laLLer was broughL Lo Lhe pollce sLaLlon for
quesLlonlng 1he sLaLemenL was made ln response Lo complalnanL's lnslsLence aL Lhe pollce
sLaLlon LhaL Lhe levled properLles were owned by hlm and noL by Lhe [udgmenL debLor
20

no employmenL relaLlon was offered or accepLed ln Lhe lnsLanL case
More flLLlng albelL Lo Lhe mlnd of Lhls CourL lnappllcable Lo Lhe case ls Canon 13 of Lhe
same Code whlch encompasses Lhe aforemenLloned rule ln general Lerms Canon 13
requlres lawyers Lo observe loyalLy ln all deallngs and LransacLlons wlLh Lhelr cllenLs
21

unquesLlonably an aLLorney glvlng legal advlce Lo a parLy wlLh an lnLeresL confllcLlng wlLh
LhaL of hls cllenL resulLlng ln deLrlmenL Lo Lhe laLLer may be held gullLy of dlsloyalLy
Powever far be lL LhaL every uLLerance of an aLLorney whlch may have afforded an
lndlvldual some rellef adverse Lo Lhe former's cllenL may be labeled as a culpable acL of
dlsloyalLy As ln every case Lhe acLs alleged Lo be culpable musL be assessed ln llghL of Lhe
surroundlng clrcumsLances
Whlle Lhe levy was made on chaLLel found ln Lhe aparLmenL of Lhe [udgmenL debLor
Cllcerla SolaLan Lhe complalnanL was Lhe Lrue owner of Lhe properLles ConsequenLly Lhe
laLLer had a rlghL Lo recover Lhe same ln facL conslderlng Lhe clrcumsLances Lhe
quesLloned sLaLemenL ls ln consonance wlLh complalnanL's foremosL duLy Lo uphold Lhe
law as an offlcer of Lhe courL 1he sLaLemenL of ALLy Camano ln such a conLexL should noL
be consLrued by Lhls CourL as glvlng advlce ln confllcL agalnsL Lhe lnLeresL of Lhe spouses
CenlLo as ln facL Lhe laLLer have no lnLeresL over Lhe lncorrecLly levled properLles
We Lhus noLe LhaL Lhe acL of lnformlng complalnanL LhaL Lhe levled properLles would be
reLurned Lo hlm upon showlng proof of hls ownershlp Lhereof may hlnL aL lnfldellLy Lo Lhe
lnLeresL of Lhe spouses CenlLo buL ln Lhls clrcumsLance lacks Lhe essence of double
deallng and beLrayal of Lhe laLLer's confldence so as Lo deserve ouLrlghL caLegorlzaLlon as
lnfldellLy or dlsloyalLy Lo hls cllenLs' cause noneLheless afLer havlng noLed Lhe foregolng
we remaln convlnced wlLh Lhe proprleLy of meLlng Lhe one %1) year suspenslon from Lhe
pracLlce of law on ALLy Camano as recommended by Lhe l8 based on hls oLher culpable
acLs whlch Lend Lo degrade Lhe professlon and fomenL dlsLrusL ln Lhe lnLegrlLy of courL
processes
Cn Lhe oLher hand ALLy lnocenLes seeks Lo dlsLance hlmself from Lhe evenLs LhaL
Lransplred and Lhe reprlmand resulLlng Lherefrom by asserLlng LhaL he was lncorrecLly
punlshed for ALLy Camano's acLs when hls mere parLlclpaLlon ln Lhe flasco was Lo refer
complalnanL and hls moLher Lo ALLy Camano
Powever lL ls preclsely because of such parLlclpaLlon conslsLlng as lL dld of referrlng Lhe
complalnanL Lo hls assoclaLe lawyer LhaL ALLy lnocenLes may be held admlnlsLraLlvely
llable by vlrLue of hls assoclaLe's uneLhlcal acLs Pls fallure Lo exerclse cerLaln
responslblllLles over maLLers under Lhe charge of hls law flrm ls a blameworLhy
shorLcomlng 1he Lerm command responslblllLy as ALLy lnocenLes suggesLs has speclal
meanlng wlLhln Lhe clrcle of men ln unlform ln Lhe mlllLary however Lhe prlnclple does
noL ablde solely Lhereln lL conLrols Lhe very clrcumsLance ln whlch ALLy lnocenLes found
hlmself
We are noL unaware of Lhe cusLom of pracLlLloners ln a law flrm of asslgnlng cases and
even enLlre cllenL accounLs Lo assoclaLes or oLher parLners wlLh llmlLed supervlslon lf aL all
1hls ls especlally Lrue ln Lhe case of ALLys lnocenLes and Camano who from Lhe records
boLh appear Lo be seasoned enough Lo be lefL alone ln Lhelr work wlLhouL requlrlng close
supervlslon over each oLher's conducL and work ouLpuL Powever leL lL noL be sald LhaL
law flrm pracLlLloners are glven a free hand Lo asslgn cases Lo seasoned aLLorneys and
LhereafLer convenlenLly forgeL abouL Lhe case 1o do so would be a dlsservlce Lo Lhe
professlon Lhe lnLegrlLy and advancemenL of whlch Lhls CourL musL [ealously proLecL
1haL Lhe flrm name under whlch Lhe Lwo aLLorneys labored was LhaL of Oscot looceotes
ooJ Assoclotes low Offlce does noL auLomaLlcally make ALLy lnocenLes Lhe defaulL lawyer
acLlng ln a supervlsory capaclLy over ALLy Camano lL dld however behoove ALLy
lnocenLes Lo exerL ordlnary dlllgence Lo flnd ouL whaL was golng on ln hls law flrm lL
placed ln ALLy lnocenLes Lhe acLlve responslblllLy Lo lnqulre furLher lnLo Lhe clrcumsLances
affecLlng Lhe levy of complalnanL's properLles lrrespecLlve of wheLher Lhe same were ln
facL evenLs whlch could posslbly lead Lo admlnlsLraLlve llablllLy Moreover as name
pracLlLloner of Lhe law offlce ALLy lnocenLes ls Lasked wlLh Lhe responslblllLy Lo make
reasonable efforLs Lo ensure LhaL all lawyers ln Lhe flrm should acL ln conformlLy Lo Lhe
Code of rofesslonal 8esponslblllLy
22
lL ls noL wlLhouL reason or consequence LhaL ALLy
lnocenLes's name ls LhaL whlch was used as Lhe offlclal deslgnaLlon of Lhelr law offlce
WlLh regard Lo Lhe acLual exlsLence of ALLy lnocenLes's supervlsory capaclLy over ALLy
Camano's acLlvlLles Lhe l8 lnvesLlgaLlng Commlssloner based Lhe same on hls flndlng LhaL
ALLy lnocenLes recelved perlodlc reporLs from ALLy Camano on Lhe laLLer's deallngs wlLh
complalnanL 1hls flndlng ls Lhe llnchpln of ALLy lnocenLes's supervlsory capaclLy over ALLy
Camano and llablllLy by vlrLue Lhereof
Law pracLlLloners are acuLely aware of Lhe responslblllLles LhaL are naLurally Laken on by
parLners and supervlsory lawyers over Lhe lawyers and nonlawyers of Lhe law offlce We
have held LhaL lawyers are admlnlsLraLlvely llable for Lhe conducL of Lhelr employees ln
falllng Lo Llmely flle pleadlngs
23
ln kbeem of tbe lblllpploes loc et ol v 2ollo k ettet et
ol
24
parLners ln a law offlce were admonlshed for Lhe conLempLuous language ln a
pleadlng submlLLed Lo courL desplLe and even due Lo Lhe facL LhaL Lhe pleadlng was noL
passed upon by any of Lhe parLners of Lhe offlce We held Lhereln LhaL parLners are duLy
bound Lo provlde for efflcaclous conLrol of courL pleadlngs and oLher courL papers LhaL
carry Lhelr names or Lhe name of Lhe law flrm
23

We now hold furLher LhaL parLners and pracLlLloners who hold supervlsory capaclLles are
legally responslble Lo exerL ordlnary dlllgence ln apprlslng Lhemselves of Lhe comlngs and
golngs of Lhe cases handled by Lhe persons over whlch Lhey are exerclslng supervlsory
auLhorlLy and ln exerLlng necessary efforLs Lo foreclose Lhe occurrence of vlolaLlons of Lhe
Code of rofesslonal 8esponslblllLy by persons under Lhelr charge noneLheless Lhe
llablllLy of Lhe supervlslng lawyer ln Lhls regard ls by no means equlvalenL Lo LhaL of Lhe
recalclLranL lawyer 1he acLual degree of conLrol and supervlslon exerclsed by sald
supervlslng lawyer varles lotet ollo accordlng Lo offlce pracLlce or Lhe lengLh of
experlence and compeLence of Lhe lawyer supervlsed Such facLors can be Laken lnLo
accounL ln ascerLalnlng Lhe proper penalLy CerLalnly a lawyer charged wlLh Lhe
supervlslon of a fledgllng aLLorney prone Lo rookle mlsLakes should bear greaLer
responslblllLy for Lhe culpable acLs of Lhe underllng Lhan one saLlsfled enough wlLh Lhe
work and professlonal eLhlc of Lhe assoclaLe so as Lo leave Lhe laLLer mosLly Lo hls/her own
devlses
Whlle ALLy Camano's lrregular acLs perhaps evlnce a need for greaLer supervlslon of hls
legal pracLlce Lhere ls no quesLlon LhaL lL has been ALLy lnocenLes' pracLlce Lo allow wlde
dlscreLlon for ALLy Camano Lo pracLlce on hls own lL does consLlLuLe lndlfference and
neglecL for ALLy lnocenLes Lo fall Lo accord even a Loken aLLenLlon Lo ALLy Camano's
conducL whlch could have broughL Lhe Lhen lmpendlng problem Lo llghL 8uL such ls noL
equlvalenL Lo Lhe proxlmaLe responslblllLy for ALLy Camano's acLs Moreover lL appears
from Lhe records LhaL ALLy lnocenLes ls a former [udge and a lawyer who as of yeL ls ln
good sLandlng and lL ls Lhe flrsL Llme ln whlch ALLy lnocenLes has been made Lo answer
vlcarlously for Lhe mlsconducL of a person under hls charge An admonlLlon ls approprlaLe
under Lhe clrcumsLances
WPL8LlC8L 8LMlSLS CCnSluL8Lu Lhe letltloo ls hereby C8An1Lu 1he 8esoluLlon
daLed 16 Aprll 2004 ls Alll8MLu ln respecL of Lhe sancLlon meLed ouL on ALLy Camano
ALLy lnocenLes ls hereby AuMCnlSPLu Lo monlLor more closely Lhe acLlvlLles of hls
assoclaLes Lo make sure LhaL Lhe same are ln consonance wlLh Lhe Code of rofesslonal
8esponslblllLy wlLh Lhe WA8nlnC LhaL repeLlLlon of Lhe same or slmllar omlsslon wlll be
dealL wlLh more severely
no pronouncemenL as Lo cosLs
SC C8uL8Lu
A C No 7S04 November 23 2007
VIkGINIA VILLAILCkLS complalnanL vs A11 SINAMAk L LIMCS respondenL
k L S C L U 1 I C N
CnICCNA2AkIC l
8efore us ls a ComplalnL
1
for ulsbarmenL flled by complalnanL vlrglnla vlllaflores agalnsL
respondenL ALLy Slnamar Llmos charglng Lhe laLLer wlLh Cross negllgence and uerellcLlon
of uuLy
ComplalnanL vlrglnla vlllaflores ls Lhe defendanL ln Clvll Case no 12188C enLlLled
5pooses 5oocbez tepteseoteJ by IoJltb MeJloo vs 5pooses vllloflotes flled before Lhe
8eglonal 1rlal CourL %81C) of 8auang La unlon 8ranch 33
8ecelvlng an unfavorable [udgmenL complalnanL soughL Lhe help of Lhe ubllc ALLorney's
Cfflce %AC) Lo appeal her case Lo Lhe CourL of Appeals 1he AC flled for her a noLlce of
Appeal wlLh Lhe 81C
Cn 1 SepLember 2004 complalnanL recelved a copy of a noLlce
2
from Lhe CourL of Appeals
requlrlng her Lo flle her appellanL's brlef wlLhln 43 days from recelpL Lhereof
lmmedlaLely LhereafLer complalnanL approached respondenL who had prevlously handled
her son's case Lo flle on her behalf Lhe requlred appellanL's brlef Slnce respondenL agreed
Lo handle Lhe appeal complalnanL handed Lo respondenL on 8 SepLember 2004 Lhe
amounL of 1000000 as parLlal paymenL of Lhe laLLer's accepLance fee of 2000000
LogeLher wlLh Lhe enLlre records of Lhe case 1he followlng day on 9 SepLember 2004
complalnanL pald Lhe balance of respondenL's accepLance fee ln Lhe amounL of 1000000
1hese paymenLs were duly recelpLed and acknowledged
3
by Lhe respondenL
Cn 21 SepLember 2004 an LmploymenL ConLracL
4
was execuLed beLween complalnanL and
respondenL whereby Lhe former formally engaged Lhe laLLer's professlonal servlces upon
Lhe execuLlon of sald conLracL complalnanL agaln pald Lhe respondenL Lhe amounL of
200000 for mlscellaneous expenses
3

Cn 14 !anuary 2003 complalnanL recelved a copy of a 8esoluLlon
6
daLed 6 !anuary 2003
lssued by Lhe CourL of Appeals dlsmlsslng her appeal for fallure Lo flle her appellanL's brlef
wlLhln Lhe reglemenLary perlod 1hus on 17 !anuary 2003 complalnanL wenL Lo
respondenL's offlce buL falled Lo see respondenL
AfLer several unsuccessful aLLempLs Lo Lalk Lo Lhe respondenL complalnanL wenL Lo Manlla
on 18 !anuary 2003 Lo seek help from anoLher lawyer who agreed Lo handle Lhe case for
her Cn 19 !anuary 2003 complalnanL wenL back Lo Lhe respondenL's offlce Lo reLrleve Lhe
records of her case 8espondenL allegedly refused Lo Lalk Lo her
Aggrleved by respondenL's acLuaLlons complalnanL flled Lhe lnsLanL admlnlsLraLlve
complalnL agalnsL respondenL
ln her Answer
7
respondenL admlLLed her lssuance of Lhe acknowledgmenL recelpLs for Lhe
aggregaLe amounL of 2200000 Lhe execuLlon of Lhe LmploymenL ConLracL beLween her
and complalnanL and Lhe lssuance by Lhe CourL of Appeals of Lhe noLlce Lo llle AppellanL's
8rlef and 8esoluLlon daLed 6 !anuary 2003 She however denled all oLher allegaLlons
lmpuLed agalnsL her 8espondenL argued LhaL Lhe nonflllng of Lhe appellanL's brlef could
be aLLrlbuLed Lo Lhe faulL of Lhe complalnanL who falled Lo lnform her of Lhe exacL daLe of
recelpL of Lhe noLlce Lo llle AppellanL's 8rlef from whlch she could reckon Lhe 43day
perlod Lo flle Lhe same ComplalnanL allegedly agreed Lo reLurn Lo respondenL once she
had ascerLalned Lhe acLual daLe of recelpL of sald noLlce buL she never dld ComplalnanL
supposedly also agreed LhaL ln Lhe evenL she could noL glve Lhe exacL daLe of recelpL of Lhe
8C8LLM A8LAS ln LLCAL L1PlCS CASLS #1 | lZC8LLLL 1 uLCC | 11
noLlce respondenL would [usL walL for a new Crder or 8esoluLlon from Lhe CourL of
Appeals before she would flle Lhe approprlaLe pleadlng 8espondenL furLher conLended
LhaL she had ln facL already made prellmlnary sLudy and lnlLlal research of complalnanL's
case
ursuanL Lo Lhe complalnL a hearlng was conducLed by Lhe Commlsslon on 8ar ulsclpllne
of Lhe lnLegraLed 8ar of Lhe hlllpplnes %l8) aL Lhe l8 8ulldlng CrLlgas CenLer aslg ClLy
on 17 !une 2003
Cn 11 Aprll 2006 lnvesLlgaLlng Commlssloner Acerey C acheco submlLLed hls 8eporL and
8ecommendaLlon
8
flndlng respondenL llable for gross negllgence and recommendlng Lhe
lmposlLlon upon her of Lhe penalLy of one year suspenslon Lo wlL
WPL8LlC8L lL ls respecLfully recommended LhaL hereln respondenL be declared
gullLy of gross negllgence ln falllng Lo flle Lhe requlred appellanLs' brlef for whlch acL
she should be suspended from Lhe pracLlce of law for a perlod of one %1) year Also lL
ls recommended LhaL Lhe respondenL be ordered Lo reLurn Lhe amounL of 2200000
LhaL she recelved from Lhe complalnanL
1hereafLer Lhe l8 8oard of Covernors passed 8esoluLlon
9
no xvll2006384 daLed 13
uecember 2006 approvlng wlLh modlflcaLlon Lhe recommendaLlon of Lhe lnvesLlgaLlng
Commlssloner Lhus
8LSCLvLu Lo AuC1 and A8CvL as lL ls hereby AuC1Lu and A8CvLu w|th
mod|f|cat|on Lhe 8eporL and 8ecommendaLlon of Lhe lnvesLlgaLlng Commlssloner of
Lhe aboveenLlLled case hereln made parL of Lhls 8esoluLlon as Annex A and
flndlng Lhe recommendaLlon fully supporLed by Lhe evldence on record and Lhe
appllcable laws and rules and conslderlng 8espondenL's gross negllgence ln falllng Lo
flle Lhe requlred appellanL's brlef ALLy Slnamar L Llmos ls hereby SuSLnuLu from
Lhe pracLlce of law for Lhree %3) monLhs wlLh Warnlng LhaL a repeLlLlon of slmllar
conducL wlll be dealL wlLh more severely and C8uL8Lu 1C 8L1u8n Lhe amounL of
2200000 she recelved from complalnanL
1he core lssue ln Lhls admlnlsLraLlve case ls wheLher Lhe respondenL commlLLed culpable
negllgence ln handllng complalnanL's case as would warranL dlsclpllnary acLlon
AfLer a careful revlew of Lhe records and evldence we flnd no cogenL reason Lo devlaLe
from Lhe flndlngs and Lhe recommendaLlon of Lhe l8 8oard of Covernors and Lhus
susLaln Lhe same 8espondenL's conducL ln falllng Lo flle Lhe appellanL's brlef for
complalnanL before Lhe CourL of Appeals falls below Lhe sLandards exacLed upon lawyers
on dedlcaLlon and commlLmenL Lo Lhelr cllenL's cause
1he relaLlon of aLLorney and cllenL beglns from Lhe Llme an aLLorney ls reLalned
10
1o
esLabllsh Lhe professlonal relaLlon lL ls sufflclenL LhaL Lhe advlce and asslsLance of an
aLLorney are soughL and recelved ln any manner perLlnenL Lo hls professlon
11

lL musL be noLed LhaL as early as 8 SepLember 2004 respondenL already agreed Lo Lake on
complalnanL's case recelvlng from Lhe laLLer parLlal paymenL of her accepLance fee and
Lhe enLlre records of complalnanL's case 1he very nexL day 9 SepLember 2004
complalnanL pald Lhe balance of respondenL's accepLance fee 8espondenL admlLLed her
recelpL of 2000000 as accepLance fee for Lhe legal servlces she ls Lo render Lo
complalnanL and 200000 for Lhe mlscellaneous expenses she ls Lo lncur ln handllng Lhe
case and Lhe subsequenL execuLlon of Lhe employmenL conLracL beLween her and
complalnanL Pence lL can be sald LhaL as early as 8 SepLember 2004 respondenL's
rendlLlon of legal servlces Lo complalnanL had commenced and from Lhen on she should
sLarL proLecLlng Lhe complalnanL's lnLeresLs 1he employmenL conLracL beLween
respondenL and complalnanL already exlsLed as of 8 SepLember 2004 alLhough lL was only
reduced lnLo wrlLlng on 21 SepLember 2004 ln shorL respondenL's accepLance of Lhe
paymenL for her professlonal fees and mlscellaneous expenses LogeLher wlLh Lhe records
of Lhe case effecLlvely bars her from dlsclalmlng Lhe exlsLence of an aLLorneycllenL
relaLlonshlp beLween her and complalnanL
no lawyer ls obllged Lo advocaLe for every person who may wlsh Lo become hls cllenL buL
once he agrees Lo Lake up Lhe cause of a cllenL Lhe lawyer owes fldellLy Lo such cause and
musL be mlndful of Lhe LrusL and confldence reposed ln hlm
12
Among Lhe fundamenLal
rules of eLhlcs ls Lhe prlnclple LhaL an aLLorney who underLakes an acLlon lmplledly
sLlpulaLes Lo carry lL Lo lLs LermlnaLlon LhaL ls unLll Lhe case becomes flnal and execuLory
As ruled ln koboool v 1oqoJe
13

Cnce he agrees Lo Lake up Lhe cause of a cllenL Lhe lawyer owes fldellLy Lo such
cause and musL always be mlndful of Lhe LrusL and confldence reposed ln hlm Pe
musL serve Lhe cllenL wlLh compeLence and dlllgence and champlon Lhe laLLer's
cause wlLh wholehearLed fldellLy care and devoLlon Llsewlse sLaLed he owes enLlre
devoLlon Lo Lhe lnLeresL of Lhe cllenL warm zeal ln Lhe malnLenance and defense of
hls cllenL's rlghLs and Lhe exerLlon of hls uLmosL learnlng and ablllLy Lo Lhe end LhaL
noLhlng be Laken or wlLhheld from hls cllenL save by Lhe rules of law legally applled
1hls slmply means LhaL hls cllenL ls enLlLled Lo Lhe beneflL of any and every remedy
and defense LhaL ls auLhorlzed by Lhe law of Lhe land and he may expecL hls lawyer
Lo asserL every such remedy or defense lf much ls demanded from an aLLorney lL ls
because Lhe enLrusLed prlvllege Lo pracLlce law carrles wlLh lL Lhe correlaLlve duLles
noL only Lo Lhe cllenL buL also Lo Lhe courL Lo Lhe bar and Lo Lhe publlc A lawyer
who performs hls duLy wlLh dlllgence and candor noL only proLecLs Lhe lnLeresL of hls
cllenL he also serves Lhe ends of [usLlce does honor Lo Lhe bar and helps malnLaln
Lhe respecL of Lhe communlLy Lo Lhe legal professlon
8espondenL's defense LhaL complalnanL falled Lo lnform her of Lhe exacL daLe when Lo
reckon Lhe 43 days wlLhln whlch Lo flle Lhe appellanL's brlef does noL lnsplre bellef or aL
Lhe very leasL [usLlfy such fallure lf anyLhlng lL only shows respondenL's cavaller aLLlLude
Lowards her cllenL's cause
A case ln polnL ls coooy v Ottlz
14
where Lhe CourL ruled LhaL Lhe lawyer's fallure Lo flle Lhe
poslLlon paper was pet se a vlolaLlon of 8ule 1803 of Lhe Code 1here Lhe CourL ruled LhaL
Lhe lawyer could noL shlfL Lhe blame Lo hls cllenL for falllng Lo follow up hls case because lL
was Lhe lawyer's duLy Lo lnform hls cllenL of Lhe sLaLus of cases
8espondenL cannoL [usLlfy her fallure Lo help complalnanL by sLaLlng LhaL afLer recelpL of
parL of Lhe accepLance fee she dld noL hear anymore from complalnanL 1he perslsLence
dlsplayed by Lhe complalnanL ln prosecuLlng Lhls complalnL belles her lack of enLhuslasm ln
flghLlng for her rlghLs as alleged by respondenL
1hls CourL has emphaLlcally ruled LhaL Lhe LrusL and confldence necessarlly reposed by
cllenLs requlres ln Lhe aLLorney a hlgh sLandard and appreclaLlon of hls duLy Lo hls cllenLs
hls professlon Lhe courLs and Lhe publlc Lvery case a lawyer accepLs deserves hls full
aLLenLlon dlllgence sklll and compeLence regardless of lLs lmporLance and wheLher he
accepLs lL for a fee or for free CerLalnly a member of Lhe 8ar who ls worLh hls LlLle cannoL
afford Lo pracLlce Lhe professlon ln a lackadalslcal fashlon A lawyer's leLhargy from Lhe
perspecLlve of Lhe Canons ls boLh unprofesslonal and uneLhlcal
13

A lawyer should serve hls cllenL ln a consclenLlous dlllgenL and efflclenL manner and he
should provlde a quallLy of servlce aL leasL equal Lo LhaL whlch lawyers generally would
expecL of a compeLenL lawyer ln a llke slLuaLlon 8y agreelng Lo be hls cllenL's counsel he
represenLs LhaL he wlll exerclse ordlnary dlllgence or LhaL reasonable degree of care and
sklll havlng reference Lo Lhe characLer of Lhe buslness he underLakes Lo do Lo proLecL Lhe
cllenL's lnLeresLs and Lake all sLeps or do all acLs necessary Lherefor and hls cllenL may
reasonably expecL hlm Lo dlscharge hls obllgaLlons dlllgenLly
16

8espondenL has obvlously falled Lo measure up Lo Lhe foregolng sLandards
lL may be Lrue LhaL Lhe complalnanL shares Lhe responslblllLy for Lhe lack of communlcaLlon
beLween her and respondenL her counsel 8espondenL however should noL have
depended enLlrely on Lhe lnformaLlon her cllenL gave or aL Lhe Llme Lhe laLLer wlshed Lo
glve lL 8espondenL belng Lhe counsel more Lhan her cllenL should appreclaLe Lhe
lmporLance of complylng wlLh Lhe reglemenLary perlod for Lhe flllng of pleadlngs and know
Lhe besL means Lo acqulre Lhe lnformaLlon soughL Pad she made Lhe necessary lnqulrles
respondenL would have known Lhe reckonlng daLe for Lhe perlod Lo flle appellanL's brlef
wlLh Lhe CourL of Appeals As a lawyer represenLlng Lhe cause of her cllenL she should
have Laken more conLrol over her cllenL's case
8espondenL's dlsmal fallure Lo comply wlLh her underLaklng ls llkewlse evldenL from Lhe
facL LhaL up unLll 19 !anuary 2003 when complalnanL reLrleved Lhe enLlre records of her
case and more Lhan four monLhs from Lhe Llme her servlces were engaged by
complalnanL respondenL sLlll had noL prepared Lhe appellanL's brlef
8ule 1803 of Lhe Code of rofesslonal 8esponslblllLy for Lawyers sLaLes
A lawyer shall noL neglecL a legal maLLer enLrusLed Lo hlm and hls negllgence ln
connecLlon LherewlLh shall render hlm llable
ln Lhls case by reason of respondenL's negllgence Lhe complalnanL suffered acLual loss
ComplalnanL faced Lhe rlsk of loslng enLlrely her rlghL Lo appeal and had Lo engage Lhe
servlces of anoLher lawyer Lo proLecL such a rlghL
1hls CourL wlll noL counLenance respondenL's fallure Lo observe Lhe reglemenLary perlod Lo
flle Lhe appellanL's brlef Counsels are sworn Lo proLecL Lhe lnLeresLs of Lhelr cllenLs and ln
Lhe process should be knowlegeable abouL Lhe rules of procedure Lo avold pre[udlclng Lhe
lnLeresLs of Lhelr cllenLs or worse compromlslng Lhe lnLegrlLy of Lhe courLs lgnorance of
Lhe procedural rules on Lhelr parL ls LanLamounL Lo lnexcusable negllgence
17
Powever Lhe
maLLer before us does noL even call for counsel's knowledge of procedural rules buL
merely her managerlal skllls ln keeplng Lrack of deadllnes for flllng necessary pleadlngs
havlng dlfflculLy wlLh whlch she could have always opLed Lo Llmely wlLhdraw from Lhe case
ln order noL Lo pre[udlce furLher her cllenL's lnLeresL
1he fallure of respondenL Lo flle Lhe appellanL's brlef for complalnanL wlLhln Lhe
reglemenLary perlod consLlLuLes gross negllgence ln vlolaLlon of Lhe Code of rofesslonal
8esponslblllLy ln letlo compoolo Je 5eqotos loc v 5opolloboo
18
Lhls CourL held
An aLLorney ls bound Lo proLecL hls cllenL's lnLeresL Lo Lhe besL of hls ablllLy and wlLh
uLmosL dlllgence %uel 8osarlo v CourL of Appeals 114 SC8A 139) A follote to flle
btlef fot bls clleot cettololy coostltotes loexcosoble oeqllqeoce oo bls pott %eople v
vlllar 46 SC8A 107) 1he respondenL has lndeed commlLLed a setloos lopse lo tbe Joty
oweJ by blm to bls clleot os well os to tbe coott noL Lo delay llLlgaLlon and Lo ald ln
Lhe speedy admlnlsLraLlon of [usLlce %eople v uaban 43 SC8A 183 eople v
LsLocada 43 SC8A 313)
All Lold we rule and so hold LhaL on accounL of respondenL's fallure Lo proLecL Lhe lnLeresL
of complalnanL respondenL lndeed vlolaLed 8ule 1803 Canon 18 of Lhe Code of
rofesslonal 8esponslblllLy 8espondenL ls remlnded LhaL Lhe pracLlce of law ls a speclal
prlvllege besLowed only upon Lhose who are compeLenL lnLellecLually academlcally and
morally 1hls CourL has been exacLlng ln lLs expecLaLlons for Lhe members of Lhe 8ar Lo
always uphold Lhe lnLegrlLy and dlgnlLy of Lhe legal professlon and refraln from any acL or
omlsslon whlch mlghL lessen Lhe LrusL and confldence of Lhe publlc
ln leople v cowlll
19
we held LhaL Lhe fallure of counsel Lo submlL Lhe brlef wlLhln Lhe
reglemenLary perlod ls an offense LhaL enLalls dlsclpllnary acLlon leople v vlllot It
20

characLerlzed a lawyer's fallure Lo flle a brlef for hls cllenL as lnexcusable neglecL ln 8lozo
v coott of Appeols
21
we held LhaL Lhe flllng of a brlef wlLhln Lhe perlod seL by law ls a duLy
noL only Lo Lhe cllenL buL also Lo Lhe courL letlo compoolo Je 5eqotos loc v 5opolloboo
22

relLeraLed otJ v uoltol
23
and lo te 5ootloqo Motcos
24
ln holdlng LhaL an aLLorney's
fallure Lo flle a brlef for hls cllenL consLlLuLes lnexcusable negllgence
ln cases lnvolvlng a lawyer's fallure Lo flle a brlef or oLher pleadlngs before an appellaLe
courL we dld noL heslLaLe Lo suspend Lhe errlng member of Lhe 8ar from Lhe pracLlce of
law for Lhree monLhs
23
slx monLhs
26
or even dlsbarmenL ln severely aggravaLed cases
27

8C8LLM A8LAS ln LLCAL L1PlCS CASLS #1 | lZC8LLLL 1 uLCC | 12
WnLkLICkL Lhe resoluLlon of Lhe l8 8oard of Covernors approvlng and adopLlng Lhe
reporL and recommendaLlon of Lhe lnvesLlgaLlng Commlssloner ls hereby AIIIkMLD
Accordlngly respondenL A11? SlnAMA8 L LlMCS ls hereby SUSLNDLD from Lhe pracLlce
of law for a perlod of 1nkLL (3) MCN1nS wlLh a sLern warnlng LhaL a repeLlLlon of Lhe
same or slmllar wrongdolng wlll be dealL wlLh more severely lurLhermore respondenL ls
hereby CkDLkLD Lo reLurn Lhe amounL of 1wenLy1wo 1housand esos %2200000)
whlch she recelved from complalnanL vlrglnla vlllaflores
LeL a copy of Lhls declslon be aLLached Lo respondenL's personal record wlLh Lhe Cfflce of
Lhe 8ar ConfldanL and coples be furnlshed Lo all chapLers of Lhe lnLegraLed 8ar of Lhe
hlllpplnes and Lo all courLs of Lhe land
SC CkDLkLD
ootes5ootloqo cboltpetsoo AosttloMottloez Nocboto keyes II concur

Gk No L961 Setember 21 1949
8LANDINA GAM8CA nILADC peLlLloner vs ICSL GU1ILkkL2 DAVID VICLN1L I
IkANCISCC IACC8 ASSAD and SLLIM IACC8 ASSAD respondenLs
uelqoJo ulzoo ooJ lotes fot petltlooet
vlceote I tooclsco fot tespooJeots
1UASCN l
lL appears LhaL on Aprll 23 1943 8landlna Camboa Pllado broughL an acLlon agalnsL Sellm
!acob Assad Lo annul Lhe sale of several houses and loL execuLed durlng Lhe !apanese
occupaLlon by Mrs Pllados now deceased husband
Cn May 14 ALLorneys Chnlck velllla and 8alonklLa flled an answer on behalf of Lhe
defendanL and on !une 13 ALLorneys uelgado ulzon llores and 8odrlgo reglsLered Lhelr
appearance as counsel for Lhe plalnLlff Cn CcLober 3 Lhese aLLorneys flled an amended
complalnL by lncludlng !acob Assad as parLy defendanL
Cn !anuary 28 1946 ALLorney lranclsco enLered hls appearance as aLLorney of record for
Lhe defendanL ln subsLlLuLlon for ALLorney Chnlck velllla and 8alonklLa who had
wlLhdrawn from Lhe case
Cn May 29 ALLorney ulzon ln Lhe name of hls flrm wroLe ALLorney lranclsco urglng hlm
Lo dlsconLlnue represenLlng Lhe defendanLs on Lhe ground LhaL Lhelr cllenL had consulLed
wlLh hlm abouL her case on whlch occaslon lL was alleged she Lurned over Lhe papers
Lo ALLorney lranclsco and Lhe laLLer senL her a wrlLLen oplnlon noL recelvlng any answer
Lo Lhls suggesLlon ALLorney uelgado ulzon llores and 8odrlgo on !une 3 1946 flled a
formal moLlon wlLh Lhe courL whereln Lhe case was and ls pendlng Lo dlsquallfy ALLorney
lranclsco
ALLorney lranclscos leLLer Lo plalnLlff menLloned above and ldenLlfled as LxhlblL A ls ln
full as follows
vlCLn1L ! l8AnClSCC
ALLorneyaLLaw
1462 LsLrada Manlla
Ioly 1J 1945
Mrs 8landlna Camboa Pllado
Manlla hlllpplnes
My dear Mrs Pllado
lrom Lhe papers you submlLLed Lo me ln connecLlon wlLh clvll case no 70073
of Lhe CourL of llrsL lnsLance of Manlla enLlLled 8landlna Camboa Pllado vs S
! Assad l flnd LhaL Lhe baslc facLs whlch broughL abouL Lhe conLroversy
beLween you and Lhe defendanL Lhereln are as follows
%o) 1haL you were Lhe equlLable owner of Lhe properLy descrlbed ln Lhe
complalnL as Lhe same was purchased and/or bullL wlLh funds excluslvely
belonglng Lo you LhaL ls Lo say Lhe houses and loL perLalned Lo your
paraphernal esLaLe
%b) 1haL on May 3 1943 Lhe legal LlLle Lo Lhe properLy was wlLh your husband
Mr Serafln Pllado and
%c) 1haL Lhe properLy was sold by Mr Pllado wlLhouL your knowledge on Lhe
aforesald daLe of May 3 1943
upon Lhe foregolng facLs l am of Lhe oplnlon LhaL your acLlon agalnsL Mr
Assad wlll noL ordlnarlly prosper Mr Assad had Lhe rlghL Lo presume LhaL your
husband had Lhe legal rlghL Lo dlspose of Lhe properLy as Lhe Lransfer
cerLlflcaLe of LlLle was ln hls name Moreover Lhe prlce of 110000 ln
!apanese mlllLary noLes as of May 3 1943 does noL qulLe sLrlke me as so
grossly lnadequaLe as Lo warranL Lhe annulmenL of Lhe sale l belleve lasLly
LhaL Lhe LransacLlon cannoL be avolded merely because lL was made durlng Lhe
!apanese occupaLlon nor on Lhe slmple allegaLlon LhaL Lhe real purchaser was
noL a clLlzen of Lhe hlllpplnes Cn hls lasL polnL furLhermore l expecL LhaL you
wlll have greaL dlfflculLy ln provlng LhaL Lhe real purchaser was oLher Lhan Mr
Assad conslderlng LhaL deaLh has already sealed your husbands llps and he
cannoL now LesLlfy as Lo Lhe clrcumsLances of Lhe sale
lor Lhe foregolng reasons l regreL Lo advlse you LhaL l cannoL appear ln Lhe
proceedlngs ln your behalf 1he records of Lhe case you loaned Lo me are
herewlLh reLurned
?ours very Lruly
%Sgd) vlCLn1L ! l8AnClSCC
v!l/8ag
ln hls answer Lo plalnLlffs aLLorneys complalnL ALLorney lranclsco alleged LhaL abouL May
1943 a real esLaLe broker came Lo hls offlce ln connecLlon wlLh Lhe legal separaLlon of a
woman who had been deserLed by her husband and also Lold hlm %lranclsco) LhaL Lhere
was a pendlng sulL broughL by Mrs Pllado agalnsL a cerLaln Syrlan Lo annul Lhe sale of a
real esLaLe whlch Lhe deceased Serafln Pllado had made Lo Lhe Syrlan durlng Lhe !apanese
occupaLlon LhaL Lhls woman asked hlm lf he was wllllng Lo accepL Lhe case lf Lhe Syrlan
should glve lL Lo hlm LhaL he Lold Lhe woman LhaL Lhe sales of real properLy durlng Lhe
!apanese reglme were valld even Lhough lL was pald for ln !apanese mlllLary noLes LhaL
Lhls belng hls oplnlon he Lold hls vlslLor he would have no ob[ecLlon Lo defendlng Lhe
Syrlan
1haL one monLh afLerwards Mrs Pllado came Lo see hlm abouL a sulL she had lnsLlLuLed
agalnsL a cerLaln Syrlan Lo annul Lhe conveyance of a real esLaLe whlch her husband had
made LhaL accordlng Lo her Lhe case was ln Lhe hands of ALLorneys uelgado and ulzon buL
she wanLed Lo Lake lL away from Lhem LhaL as he had known Lhe plalnLlffs deceased
husband he dld noL heslLaLe Lo Lell her frankly LhaL hers was a losL case for Lhe same reason
he had Lold Lhe broker LhaL Mrs Pllado reLorLed LhaL Lhe basls of her acLlon was noL LhaL
Lhe money pald her husband was !apanese mlllLary noLes buL LhaL Lhe premlses were her
prlvaLe and excluslve properLy LhaL she requesLed hlm Lo read Lhe complalnL Lo be
convlnced LhaL Lhls was Lhe Lheory of her sulL LhaL he Lhen asked Mrs Pllado lf Lhere was
a 1orrens LlLle Lo Lhe properLy and she answered yes ln Lhe name of her husband LhaL he
Lold Mrs Pllado LhaL lf Lhe properLy was reglsLered ln her husbands favor her case would
noL prosper elLher
1haL some days afLerward upon arrlval aL hls law offlce on LsLrada sLreeL he was lnformed
by ALLorney lederlco Agrava hls asslsLanL LhaL Mrs Pllado had dropped ln looklng for hlm
and LhaL when he Agrava learned LhaL Mrs Pllados vlslL concerned legal maLLers he
aLLended Lo her and requesLed her Lo leave Lhe expedlenLe whlch she was carrylng and
she dld LhaL he Lold ALLorney Agrava LhaL Lhe flrm should noL handle Mrs Pllados case
and he should reLurn Lhe papers calllng Agravas aLLenLlon Lo whaL he %lranclsco) already
had sald Lo Mrs Pllado
1haL several days laLer Lhe sLenographer ln hls law offlce 1eofllo 8agodon showed hlm a
leLLer whlch had been dlcLaLed ln Lngllsh by Mr Agrava reLurnlng Lhe expedlenLs Lo Mrs
Pllado LhaL 8agodon Lold hlm %ALLorney lranclsco) upon ALLorney Agravas requesL LhaL
Agrava LhoughL lL more proper Lo explaln Lo Mrs Pllado Lhe reasons why her case was
re[ecLed LhaL he forLhwlLh slgned Lhe leLLer wlLhouL readlng lL and wlLhouL keeplng lL for a
mlnuLe ln hls possesslon LhaL he never saw Mrs Pllado slnce Lhelr lasL meeLlng unLll she
Lalked Lo hlm aL Lhe Manlla PoLel abouL a proposed exLra[udlclal seLLlemenL of Lhe case
1haL ln !anuary 1946 Assad was ln hls offlce Lo requesL hlm Lo handle hls case sLaLlng LhaL
hls Amerlcan lawyer had gone Lo Lhe SLaLes and lefL Lhe case ln Lhe hands of oLher
aLLorneys LhaL he accepLed Lhe reLalner and on !anuary 28 1946 enLered hls appearance
ALLorney lranclsco flled an affldavlL of sLenographer 8agodon ln corroboraLlon of hls
answer
1he [udge Lrylng Lhe case Ponorable !ose CuLlerrez uavld laLer promoLed Lo Lhe CourL of
Appeals dlsmlssed Lhe complalnL Pls Ponor belleved LhaL no lnformaLlon oLher Lhan LhaL
already alleged ln plalnLlffs complalnL ln Lhe maln cause was conveyed Lo ALLorney
lranclsco and concluded LhaL Lhe lnLercourse beLween Lhe plalnLlff and Lhe respondenL
dld noL aLLaln Lhe polnL of creaLlng Lhe relaLlon of aLLorney and cllenL
SLrlpped of dlspuLed deLalls and collaLeral maLLers Lhls much ls undoubLed 1haL ALLorney
lranclscos law flrm malled Lo Lhe plalnLlff a wrlLLen oplnlon over hls slgnaLure on Lhe
merlLs of her case LhaL Lhls oplnlon was reached on Lhe basls of papers she had submlLLed
aL hls offlce LhaL Mrs Pllados purpose ln submlLLlng Lhose papers was Lo secure ALLorney
lranclscos professlonal servlces CranLlng Lhe facLs Lo be no more Lhan Lhese we agree
wlLh peLlLloners counsel LhaL Lhe relaLlon of aLLorney and cllenL beLween ALLorney
lranclsco and Mrs Pllado ensued 1he followlng rules accord wlLh Lhe eLhlcs of Lhe legal
professlon and meeL wlLh our approval
ln order Lo consLlLuLe Lhe relaLlon %of aLLorney and cllenL) a professlonal one and noL
merely one of prlnclpal and agenL Lhe aLLorneys musL be employed elLher Lo glve
advlce upon a legal polnL Lo prosecuLe or defend an acLlon ln courL of [usLlce or Lo
prepare and drafL ln legal form such papers as deeds bllls conLracLs and Lhe llke
%ALklnson vs PowleLL 11 ky Law 8ep %absLracL) 364 clLed ln vol 88 A L 8 p 6)
1o consLlLuLe professlonal employmenL lL ls noL essenLlal LhaL Lhe cllenL should have
employed Lhe aLLorney professlonally on any prevlous occaslon lL ls noL
necessary LhaL any reLalner should have been pald promlsed or charged for nelLher
ls lL maLerlal LhaL Lhe aLLorney consulLed dld noL afLerward underLake Lhe case abouL
whlch Lhe consulLaLlon was had lf a person ln respecL Lo hls buslness affalrs or
Lroubles of any klnd consulLs wlLh hls aLLorney ln hls professlonal capaclLy wlLh Lhe
vlew Lo obLalnlng professlonal advlce or asslsLance and Lhe aLLorney volunLarlly
permlLs or acqulesces ln such consulLaLlon Lhen Lhe professlonal employmenL musL
be regarded as esLabllshed %3 !ones CommenLarles on Lvldence pp 41184119)
An aLLorney ls employedLhaL ls he ls engaged ln hls professlonal capaclLy as a lawyer
or counselorwhen he ls llsLenlng Lo hls cllenLs prellmlnary sLaLemenL of hls case or
when he ls glvlng advlce Lhereon [usL as Lruly as when he ls drawlng hls cllenLs
pleadlngs or advocaLlng hls cllenLs cause ln open courL %uenver 1ramway Co vs
Cwens 20 Colo 107 36 848)
lormallLy ls noL an essenLlal elemenL of Lhe employmenL of an aLLorney 1he conLracL
may be express or lmplled and lL ls sufflclenL LhaL Lhe advlce and asslsLance of Lhe
8C8LLM A8LAS ln LLCAL L1PlCS CASLS #1 | lZC8LLLL 1 uLCC | 13
aLLorney ls soughL and recelved ln maLLers perLlnenL Lo hls professlon An
accepLance of Lhe relaLlon ls lmplled on Lhe parL of Lhe aLLorney from hls acLlng ln
behalf of hls cllenL ln pursuance of a requesL by Lhe laLLer %7 C ! S 848849 see
Plrach 8ros and Co vs 8 L kennlngLon Co 88 A L 8 1)
SecLlon 26 %e) 8ule 123 of Lhe 8ules of CourL provldes LhaL an aLLorney cannoL wlLhouL
Lhe consenL of hls cllenL be examlned as Lo any communlcaLlon made by Lhe cllenL Lo hlm
or hls advlce glven Lhereon ln Lhe course of professlonal employmenL and secLlon 19 %e)
of 8ule 127 lmposes upon an aLLorney Lhe duLy Lo malnLaln lnvlolaLe Lhe confldence and
aL every perll Lo hlmself Lo preserve Lhe secreLs of hls cllenL 1here ls no law or provlslon
ln Lhe 8ules of CourL prohlblLlng aLLorneys ln express Lerms from acLlng on behalf of boLh
parLles Lo a conLroversy whose lnLeresLs are opposed Lo each oLher buL such prohlblLlon ls
necessarlly lmplled ln Lhe ln[uncLlons above quoLed %lo te ue la 8osa 27 hll 238) ln facL
Lhe prohlblLlon derlves valldlLy from sources hlgher Lhan wrlLLen laws and rules As has
been apLly sald ln lo te Merron 22 n M 232 L8A 19178 378 lnformaLlon so recelved
ls sacred Lo Lhe employmenL Lo whlch lL perLalns and Lo permlL lL Lo be used ln Lhe
lnLeresL of anoLher or worse sLlll ln Lhe lnLeresL of Lhe adverse parLy ls Lo sLrlke aL Lhe
elemenL of confldence whlch lles aL Lhe basls of and affords Lhe essenLlal securlLy ln Lhe
relaLlon of aLLorney and cllenL
1haL only coples of pleadlngs already flled ln courL were furnlshed Lo ALLorney Agrava and
LhaL Lhls belng so no secreL communlcaLlon was LransmlLLed Lo hlm by Lhe plalnLlff would
noL vary Lhe slLuaLlon even lf we should dlscard Mrs Pllados sLaLemenL LhaL oLher papers
personal and prlvaLe ln characLer were Lurned ln by her recedenLs are aL hand Lo
supporL Lhe docLrlne LhaL Lhe mere relaLlon of aLLorney and cllenL oughL Lo preclude Lhe
aLLorney from accepLlng Lhe opposlLe parLys reLalner ln Lhe same llLlgaLlon regardless of
whaL lnformaLlon was recelved by hlm from hls flrsL cllenL
1he prlnclple whlch forblds an aLLorney who has been engaged Lo represenL a cllenL
from LhereafLer appearlng on behalf of Lhe cllenLs opponenL applles equally even
Lhough durlng Lhe conLlnuance of Lhe employmenL noLhlng of a confldenLlal naLure
was revealed Lo Lhe aLLorney by Lhe cllenL %ChrlsLlan vs Walalua AgrlculLural Co 30
Pawall 333 looLnoLe 7 C ! S 828)
Where lL appeared LhaL an aLLorney represenLlng one parLy ln llLlgaLlon had
formerly represenLed Lhe adverse parLy wlLh respecL Lo Lhe same maLLer lnvolved ln
Lhe llLlgaLlon Lhe courL need noL lnqulre as Lo how much knowledge Lhe aLLorney
acqulred from hls former durlng LhaL relaLlonshlp before refuslng Lo permlL Lhe
aLLorney Lo represenL Lhe adverse parLy %8rown vs Mlller 32 App u C 330 286 l
994)
ln order LhaL a courL may prevenL an aLLorney from appearlng agalnsL a former cllenL
lL ls unnecessary LhaL Lhe ascerLaln ln deLall Lhe exLenL Lo whlch Lhe former cllenLs
affalrs mlghL have a bearlng on Lhe maLLers lnvolved ln Lhe subsequenL llLlgaLlon on
Lhe aLLorneys knowledge Lhereof %8oyd vs Second !udlclal ulsL CourL 274 7 31
nev 264)
1hls rule has been so sLrlcLly LhaL lL has been held an aLLorney on LermlnaLlng hls
employmenL cannoL LhereafLer acL as counsel agalnsL hls cllenL ln Lhe same general
maLLer even Lhough whlle acLlng for hls former cllenL he acqulred no knowledge
whlch could operaLe Lo hls cllenLs dlsadvanLage ln Lhe subsequenL adverse
employmenL %lerce vs almer 1910 31 8 l 432 77 ALl 201 Ann Cas 1912S
181)
CommunlcaLlons beLween aLLorney and cllenL are ln a greaL number of llLlgaLlons a
compllcaLed affalr conslsLlng of enLangled relevanL and lrrelevanL secreL and well known
facLs ln Lhe complexlLy of whaL ls sald ln Lhe course of Lhe deallngs beLween an aLLorney
and a cllenL lnqulry of Lhe naLure suggesLed would lead Lo Lhe revelaLlon ln advance of
Lhe Lrlal of oLher maLLers LhaL mlghL only furLher pre[udlce Lhe complalnanLs cause And
Lhe Lheory would be producLlve of oLher un saluLary resulLs 1o make Lhe passlng of
confldenLlal communlcaLlon a condlLlon precedenL le Lo make Lhe employmenL
condlLloned on Lhe scope and characLer of Lhe knowledge acqulred by an aLLorney ln
deLermlnlng hls rlghL Lo change sldes would noL enhance Lhe freedom of llLlganLs whlch ls
Lo be sedulously fosLered Lo consulL wlLh lawyers upon whaL Lhey belleve are Lhelr rlghLs
ln llLlgaLlon 1he condlLlon would of necesslLy call for an lnvesLlgaLlon of whaL lnformaLlon
Lhe aLLorney has recelved and ln whaL way lL ls or lL ls noL ln confllcL wlLh hls new poslLlon
LlLlganLs would ln consequence be wary ln golng Lo an aLLorney lesL by an unforLunaLe
Lurn of Lhe proceedlngs lf an lnvesLlgaLlon be held Lhe courL should accepL Lhe aLLorneys
lnaccuraLe verslon of Lhe facLs LhaL came Lo hlm now Lhe absLlnence from seeklng legal
advlce ln a good cause ls by hypoLhesls an evll whlch ls faLal Lo Lhe admlnlsLraLlon of
[usLlce %!ohn P Wlgmores Lvldence 1923 SecLlon 2283 2290 2291)
Pence Lhe necesslLy of seLLlng down Lhe exlsLence of Lhe bare relaLlonshlp of aLLorney and
cllenL as Lhe yardsLlck for LesLlng lncompaLlblllLy of lnLeresLs 1hls sLern rule ls deslgned noL
alone Lo prevenL Lhe dlshonesL pracLlLloner from fraudulenL conducL buL as well Lo proLecL
Lhe honesL lawyer from unfounded susplclon of unprofesslonal pracLlce %SLrong vs lnL
8ldg eLc Assn 183 lll 97 47 L8A 792) lL ls founded on prlnclples of publlc pollcy on
good LasLe As has been sald ln anoLher case Lhe quesLlon ls noL necessarlly one of Lhe
rlghLs of Lhe parLles buL as Lo wheLher Lhe aLLorney has adhered Lo proper professlonal
sLandard WlLh Lhese LhoughLs ln mlnd lL behooves aLLorneys llke Caesars wlfe noL only
Lo keep lnvlolaLe Lhe cllenLs confldence buL also Lo avold Lhe appearance of Lreachery and
doubledeallng Cnly Lhus can llLlganLs be encouraged Lo enLrusL Lhelr secreLs Lo Lhelr
aLLorneys whlch ls of paramounL lmporLance ln Lhe admlnlsLraLlon of [usLlce
So wlLhouL lmpugnlng respondenLs good falLh we neverLheless can noL sancLlon hls Laklng
up Lhe cause of Lhe adversary of Lhe parLy who had soughL and obLalned legal advlce from
hls flrm Lhls noL necessarlly Lo prevenL any ln[usLlce Lo Lhe plalnLlff buL Lo keep above
reproach Lhe honor and lnLegrlLy of Lhe courLs and of Lhe bar WlLhouL condemnlng Lhe
respondenLs conducL as dlshonesL corrupL or fraudulenL we do belleve LhaL upon Lhe
admlLLed facLs lL ls hlghly ln expedlenL lL had Lhe Lendency Lo brlng Lhe professlon of
whlch he ls a dlsLlngulshed member lnLo publlc dlsrepuLe and susplclon and undermlne
Lhe lnLegrlLy of [usLlce
1here ls ln legal pracLlce whaL called reLalnlng fee Lhe purpose of whlch sLems from Lhe
reallzaLlon LhaL Lhe aLLorney ls dlsabled from acLlng as counsel for Lhe oLher slde afLer he
has glven professlonal advlce Lo Lhe opposlLe parLy even lf he should decllne Lo perform
Lhe conLemplaLed servlces on behalf of Lhe laLLer lL ls Lo prevenL undue hardshlp on Lhe
aLLorney resulLlng from Lhe rlgld observance of Lhe rule LhaL a separaLe and lndependenL
fee for consulLaLlon and advlce was concelved and auLhorlzed A reLalnlng fee ls a
prellmlnary fee glven Lo an aLLorney or counsel Lo lnsure and secure hls fuLure servlces
and lnduce hlm Lo acL for Lhe cllenL lL ls lnLended Lo remuneraLe counsel for belng
deprlved by belng reLalned by one parLy of Lhe opporLunlLy of renderlng servlces Lo Lhe
oLher and of recelvlng pay from hlm and Lhe paymenL of such fee ln Lhe absence of an
express undersLandlng Lo Lhe conLrary ls nelLher made nor recelved ln paymenL of Lhe
servlces conLemplaLed lLs paymenL has no relaLlon Lo Lhe obllgaLlon of Lhe cllenL Lo pay hls
aLLorney for Lhe servlces whlch he has reLalned hlm Lo perform %7 C!S 1019)
1he defense LhaL ALLorney Agrava wroLe Lhe leLLer LxhlblL A and LhaL ALLorney lranclsco
dld noL Lake Lhe Lrouble of readlng lL would noL Lake Lhe case ouL of Lhe lnLerdlcLlon lf Lhls
leLLer was wrlLLen under Lhe clrcumsLances explalned by ALLorney lranclsco and he was
unaware of lLs conLenLs Lhe facL remalns LhaL hls flrm dld glve Mrs Pllado a formal
professlonal advlce from whlch as hereLofore demonsLraLed emerged Lhe relaLlon of
aLLorney and cllenL 1hls leLLer blnds and esLop hlm ln Lhe same manner and Lo Lhe same
degree as lf he personally had wrlLLen lL An lnformaLlon obLalned from a cllenL by a
member or asslsLanL of a law flrm ls lnformaLlon lmparLed Lo Lhe flrm %6 C ! 628 7 C !
S 986) 1hls ls noL a mere flcLlon or an arblLrary rule for such member or asslsLanL as ln
our case noL only acLs ln Lhe name and lnLeresL of Lhe flrm buL hls lnformaLlon by Lhe
naLure of hls connecLlon wlLh Lhe flrm ls avallable Lo hls assoclaLes or employers 1he rule
ls all Lhe more Lo be adhered Lo where as ln Lhe presenL lnsLance Lhe oplnlon was acLually
slgned by Lhe head of Lhe flrm and carrles hls lnlLlals lnLended Lo convey Lhe lmpresslon
LhaL lL was dlcLaLed by hlm personally no progress could be hoped for ln Lhe publlc pollcy
LhaL Lhe cllenL ln consulLlng hls legal advlser oughL Lo be free from apprehenslon of
dlsclosure of hls confldence lf Lhe prohlblLlon were noL exLended Lo Lhe aLLorneys
parLners employers or asslsLanLs
1he facL LhaL peLlLloner dld noL ob[ecL unLll afLer four monLhs had passed from Lhe daLe
ALLorney lranclsco flrsL appeared for Lhe defendanLs does noL operaLe as a walver of her
rlghL Lo ask for hls dlsquallflcaLlon ln one case ob[ecLlon Lo Lhe appearance of an aLLorney
was allowed even on appeal as a ground for reversal of Lhe [udgmenL ln LhaL case ln whlch
LhroughouL Lhe conducL of Lhe cause ln Lhe courL below Lhe aLLorney had been suffered so
Lo acL wlLhouL ob[ecLlon Lhe courL sald We are all of Lhe one mlnd LhaL Lhe rlghL of Lhe
appellee Lo make hls ob[ecLlon has noL lapsed by reason of fallure Lo make lL sooner LhaL
professlonal confldence once reposed can never be dlvesLed by explraLlon of professlonal
employmenL %nlckels vs Crlffln 1 Wash 1err 374 321 A L 8 1316)
1he complalnL LhaL peLlLloners remedy ls by appeal and noL by cerLlorarl deserves scanL
aLLenLlon 1he courLs have summary [urlsdlcLlon Lo proLecL Lhe rlghLs of Lhe parLles and Lhe
publlc from any conducL of aLLorneys pre[udlclal Lo Lhe admlnlsLraLlon of Lhe [usLlce 1he
summary [urlsdlcLlon of Lhe courLs over aLLorneys ls noL conflned Lo requlrlng Lhem Lo pay
over money collecLed by Lhem buL embraces auLhorlLy Lo compel Lhem Lo do whaLever
speclflc acLs may be lncumbenL upon Lhem ln Lhelr capaclLy of aLLorneys Lo perform 1he
courLs from Lhe general prlnclples of equlLy and pollcy wlll always look lnLo Lhe deallngs
beLween aLLorneys and cllenLs and guard Lhe laLLer from any undue consequences
resulLlng from a slLuaLlon ln whlch Lhey may sLand unequal 1he courLs acLs on Lhe same
prlnclples wheLher Lhe underLaklng ls Lo appear or for LhaL maLLer noL Lo appear Lo
answer declaraLlon eLc %6 C! 718 C!S 1003) 1hls summary remedy agalnsL aLLorneys
flows from Lhe facLs LhaL Lhey are offlcers of Lhe courL where Lhey pracLlce formlng a parL
of Lhe machlnery of Lhe law for Lhe admlnlsLraLlon of [usLlce and as such sub[ecL Lo Lhe
dlsclpllnary auLhorlLy of Lhe courLs and Lo lLs orders and dlrecLlons wlLh respecL Lo Lhelr
relaLlons Lo Lhe courL as well as Lo Lhelr cllenLs %CharesL vs 8lshop 137 Mlnn 102 162
nW 1062 noLe 26 7 C ! S 1007) ALLorney sLand on Lhe same fooLlng as sherlffs and
oLher courL offlcers ln respecL of maLLers [usL menLloned
We conclude Lherefore LhaL Lhe moLlon for dlsquallflcaLlon should be allowed lL ls so
ordered wlLhouL cosLs
Motoo cI Ozoeto lotos etlo 8eoqzoo loJlllo Mootemoyot keyes ooJ 1ottes II
concur

Adm Case No S020 December 18 2001
kCSAkIC IUNIC complalnanL vs A11 SALVADCk M GkUC respondenL
MLNDC2A l
1hls ls a complalnL for dlsbarmenL flled agalnsL ALLy Salvador M Crupo for malpracLlce and
gross mlsconducL
ComplalnanL 8osarlo n !unlo alleged LhaL
3 SomeLlme ln 1993 she engaged Lhe servlces of respondenL Lhen a prlvaLe
pracLlLloner for Lhe redempLlon of a parcel of land covered by 1ransfer CerLlflcaLe of
1lLle no 20394 reglsLered ln Lhe name of her parenLs spouses 8ogello and 8uflna
nleLes and locaLed aL Concepclon Loay 8ohol
4 Cn 21 AugusL 1993 complalnanL enLrusLed Lo respondenL Lhe amounL of
2300000 ln cash Lo be used ln Lhe redempLlon of Lhe aforesald properLy
8espondenL recelved Lhe sald amounL as evldenced by an acknowledgmenL recelpL a
copy of whlch ls belng hereLo aLLached as Annex A
8C8LLM A8LAS ln LLCAL L1PlCS CASLS #1 | lZC8LLLL 1 uLCC | 14
3 noLwlLhsLandlng Lhe foregolng and for no valld reason respondenL dld noL
redeem Lhe properLy as a resulL of whlch Lhe rlghL of redempLlon was losL and Lhe
properLy was evenLually forfelLed
6 8ecause of respondenLs fallure Lo redeem Lhe properLy complalnanL had
demanded Lhe reLurn of Lhe money whlch she enLrusLed Lo Lhe former for Lhe
abovesLaLed purpose
7 uesplLe repeaLed demands made by Lhe complalnanL and wlLhouL [usLlflable
cause respondenL has conLlnuously refused Lo refund Lhe money enLrusLed Lo hlm
1

ln hls Answer peLlLloner admlLLed recelvlng Lhe amounL ln quesLlon for Lhe purpose for
whlch lL was glven Powever he alleged LhaL
6 1he sub[ecL land for whlch Lhe money of complalnanL was lnlLlally lnLended Lo be
applled could really noL be redeemed anymore
7 ComplalnanL knew Lhe morLgage agreemenL beLween her parenLs and Lhe
morLgageowner had already explred and whaL respondenL was Lrylng Lo do was a
sorL of a desperaLe lasLdlLch aLLempL Lo persuade Lhe sald morLgagee Lo relenL
and glve back Lhe land Lo Lhe morLgagors wlLh Lhe Lender of redempLlon buL aL Lhls
polnL Lhe morLgagee slmply would noL budge anymore lor one reason or anoLher
he would no longer accepL Lhe sum offered
8 8y Lhe Llme LhaL complalnanL was Lo reLurn Lo Manlla lL was already a foregone
maLLer LhaL respondenLs efforLs dld noL succeed And so when LransacLlon falled
respondenL requesLed Lhe complalnanL LhaL he be allowed ln Lhe meanLlme Lo avall
of Lhe money because he had an urgenL need for some money hlmself Lo help defray
hls chlldrens educaLlonal expenses lL was really a personal requesL a prlvaLe maLLer
beLween respondenL and complalnanL Lhus respondenL execuLed a promlssory noLe
for Lhe amounL a copy of whlch ls probably sLlll ln Lhe possesslon of Lhe complalnanL
9 1he famlly of Lhe complalnanL and LhaL of Lhe respondenL were very close
and lnLlmaLe wlLh each oLher ComplalnanL as well as Lwo of her slsLers had served
respondenLs famlly as household helpers for many years when Lhey were sLlll ln
Manlla and durlng all Lhose Llmes Lhey were LreaLed wlLh respecL affecLlon and
equallLy 1hey were consldered pracLlcally parL of respondenLs own famlly
1haL ls why when complalnanL requesLed asslsLance regardlng Lhe problem of
Lhe morLgaged properLy whlch complalnanL wanLed Lo redeem respondenL had no
secondLhoughLs ln exLendlng a lendlng hand
8espondenL dld noL ask for any fee Pls servlces were purely graLulLous hls acLs
were on hls own and by hls own lL was more Lhan pro bono lL was noL even for
charlLy lL was slmply an acL of a frlend for a frlend lL was [usL lamenLably
unforLunaLe LhaL hls efforLs falled
xxx xxx xxx
Cf course respondenL accepLs hls faulL because lndeed Lhere were occaslons when
complalnanLs slsLers came Lo respondenL Lo ask for Lhe paymenL ln behalf of
complalnanL and he could noL produce Lhe money because Lhe clrcumsLances
somehow dld noL allow lL lL does noL mean LhaL respondenL wlll noL pay or LhaL
he ls LhaL morally depraved as Lo wllfully and dellberaLely renege ln hls obllgaLlon
Lowards Lhe complalnanL
2

ComplalnanL flled a reply denylng LhaL respondenL lnformed her of hls fallure Lo redeem
Lhe properLy and LhaL respondenL requesLed her Lo lnsLead lend Lhe money Lo hlm
3

1he case was LhereafLer referred Lo Lhe lnLegraLed 8ar of Lhe hlllpplnes %l8) for
lnvesLlgaLlon reporL and recommendaLlon Powever whlle Lwo hearlngs were seL for Lhls
purpose boLh were posLponed aL Lhe lnsLance of respondenL lor Lhls reason on AugusL
28 2000 complalnanL asked Lhe lnvesLlgaLlng Commlssloner
4
Lo conslder Lhe case
submlLLed for declslon on Lhe basls of Lhe pleadlngs LhereLofore flled 8espondenL was
requlred Lo commenL on complalnanLs moLlon buL he falled Lo do so ConsequenLly Lhe
case was consldered submlLLed for resoluLlon
ln hls reporL daLed !anuary 3 2001 Lhe lnvesLlgaLlng Commlssloner found respondenL
llable for vlolaLlon of 8ule 1604 of Lhe Code of rofesslonal 8esponslblllLy whlch forblds
lawyers from borrowlng money from Lhelr cllenLs unless Lhe laLLers lnLeresLs are
proLecLed by Lhe naLure of Lhe case or by lndependenL advlce 1he lnvesLlgaLlng
Commlssloner found LhaL respondenL falled Lo pay hls cllenLs money Powever ln vlew of
respondenLs admlsslon of llablllLy and plea for magnanlmlLy Lhe lnvesLlgaLlng
Commlssloner recommended LhaL respondenL be slmply reprlmanded and ordered Lo pay
Lhe amounL of 2300000 loan plus lnLeresL aL Lhe legal raLe
ln lLs 8esoluLlon no xlv2001183 daLed Aprll 29 2001 Lhe l8 8oard of Covernors
adopLed and approved Lhe lnvesLlgaLlng Commlssloners flndlngs Powever lL ordered
8espondenL suspended lndeflnlLely from Lhe pracLlce of law for Lhe commlsslon
of an acL whlch falls shorL of Lhe sLandard of Lhe norm of conducL requlred of every
aLLorney and ordered hlm Lo reLurn Lo Lhe complalnanL Lhe amounL of
2300000 plus lnLeresL aL Lhe legal raLe from Lhe Llme Lhe sald amounL was
mlsapproprlaLed unLll full paymenL provlded LhaL Lhe LoLal suspenslon shall be aL
leasL one %1) year from Lhe daLe of sald full paymenL
Cn !uly 4 2001 respondenL flled a moLlon for reconslderaLlon alleglng LhaL
%a) Lhere was no acLual hearlng of Lhe case whereln respondenL could have fully
venLllaLed and defended hls poslLlon
%b) Lhe sub[ecL 8esoluLlon gravely modlfled Lhe 8eporL and 8ecommendaLlon of Lhe
1rlal Commlssloner Pon edro Magpayo !r such LhaL Lhe resulLanL sancLlons
LhaL are ordered lmposed are Loo leonlne un[usL and cruel
%c) LhaL Lhe facLual clrcumsLances aLLendlng Lhe maLLer whlch gave rlse Lo Lhe
complalnL were noL rlghLly or falrly appreclaLed
3

Pe argues LhaL Lhe CourL should adopL Lhe reporL and recommendaLlon of Lhe l8
lnvesLlgaLlng Commlssloner
ln lLs resoluLlon of AugusL 13 2001 Lhe CourL resolved Lo LreaL respondenLs moLlon for
reconslderaLlon as a peLlLlon for revlew of l8 8esoluLlon no xlv 2001183 and requlred
complalnanL Lo commenL on Lhe peLlLlon
ln her commenL complalnanL sLaLes LhaL her prlmary lnLeresL ls Lo recover Lhe amounL of
2300000 wlLh lnLeresL and LhaL she ls leavlng lL Lo Lhe CourL Lo declde wheLher
respondenL deserves Lhe penalLy recommended by Lhe l8
6

1he CourL resolves Lo parLlally granL Lhe peLlLlon ln hls reporL and recommendaLlon
lnvesLlgaLlng Commlssloner Magpayo !r made Lhe followlng flndlngs
ln hls Answer Lhe respondenL AuMl1S all Lhe allegaLlons ln paragraph 4 of Lhe
complalnL whlch avers
4 Cn 21 AugusL 1993 complalnanL enLrusLed Lo respondenL Lhe amounL of
2300000 ln cash Lo be used ln Lhe redempLlon of Lhe aforesald properLy
%parcel of land covered by 1C1 no 20394 reglsLered ln Lhe name of
complalnanLs parenLs locaLed aL Concepclon Loay 8ohol) 8espondenL
recelved Lhe sald amounL as evldenced by an acknowledgmenL recelpL %Annex
A)
8y way of confesslon and avoldance Lhe respondenL however conLended LhaL
when Lhe morLgagee refused Lo accepL Lhe sum Lendered as Lhe perlod of
redempLlon had already explred he requesLed Lhe complalnanL Lo allow hlm ln Lhe
meanLlme Lo use Lhe money for hls chlldrens educaLlonal expenses Lo whlch
requesL Lhe complalnanL allegedly acceded and respondenL even execuLed a
promlssory noLe %please see 4Lh par of Annex 8 of complalnL)
8espondenL Lakes furLher refuge ln Lhe lnLlmaLe and close relaLlonshlp exlsLlng
beLween hlmself and Lhe complalnanLs famlly on Lhe basls of whlch hls legal servlces
were purely graLulLous or slmply an acL of a frlend for a frlend wlLh no
conslderaLlon lnvolved unforLunaLely hls efforLs Lo redeem Lhe foreclosed
properLy as already sLaLed dld noL produce Lhe deslred resulL because Lhe
morLgagee would noL budge anymore and would noL accepL Lhe sum offered
1hus Lhe respondenL concluded LhaL Lhere was sLrlcLly speaklng no aLLorneycllenL
relaLlonshlp exlsLlng beLween Lhem 8aLher rlghL from Lhe sLarL everyLhlng was
sorL of personal he added
CranLlng Lo Lhe respondenL Lhe beneflL of Lhe doubL we shall assume LhaL Lhere was
ln reallLy a loan ln Lhe amounL of 2300000 1hls ls llkewlse conflrmed by Lhe
execuLlon of a promlssory noLe on 12 uecember 1996 by Lhe respondenL who
underLook Lo pay Mrs !unlo on or before !anuary 1997 %Annex 8 of complalnL)
Moreover Lhe demand leLLer of 12 March 1998 %Annex 8) menLlons of
relmbursemenL of Lhe sum recelved and lnLeresL of 24 per annum unLll fully
pald glvlng Lhe lmpresslon LhaL Lhe funds prevlously lnLended Lo be used for Lhe
repurchase of a cerLaln properLy %Annex A of complalnL) was converLed lnLo a loan
wlLh Lhe consenL of Lhe complalnanL who gave way Lo Lhe requesL of Lhe respondenL
Lo help defray hls chlldrens educaLlonal expenses %par 8 of Answer)
8e LhaL as lL may Lhe duLy and obllgaLlon Lo repay Lhe loan remalns unshaken
Pavlng uLlllzed Lhe sum Lo fulflll hls urgenL need for some money lL ls buL [usL and
proper LhaL he reLurn Lhe amounL borrowed LogeLher wlLh lnLeresL
llve %3) years had already passed slnce respondenL reLalned Lhe cash for hls own
personal use 8uL noLwlLhsLandlng Lhe same and hls flrm promlse Lo pay Mrs !unlo
on or before !anuary 1997 he has noL demonsLraLed any vollLlon Lo seLLle hls
obllgaLlon Lo hls credlLor alLhough admlLLedly Lhere were occaslons when
complalnanLs slsLer came Lo respondenL Lo ask for Lhe paymenL ln behalf of
complalnanL worse Lhe passage of Llme made respondenL somehow forgoL abouL
Lhe obllgaLlon
A lawyer shall noL borrow money from hls cllenL unless Lhe cllenLs lnLeresLs are fully
proLecLed by Lhe naLure of Lhe case or by lndependenL advlce %8ule 1604 Code of
rofesslonal 8esponslblllLy) 1hls rule ls lnLended Lo prevenL Lhe lawyer from Laklng
advanLage of hls lnfluence over Lhe cllenL
1hls rule ls especlally slgnlflcanL ln Lhe lnsLanL case where Lhe respondenL en[oys an
lmmense ascendancy over Lhe complalnanL who as well as Lwo of hls slsLers had
served respondenLs famlly as household helpers for many years
Pavlng galned domlnance over Lhe complalnanL by vlrLue of such long relaLlon of
masLer and servanL Lhe respondenL Look advanLage of hls lnfluence by noL reLurnlng
Lhe money enLrusLed Lo hlm lnsLead he lmposed hls wlll on Lhe complalnanL and
borrowed her funds wlLhouL glvlng adequaLe securlLy Lherefor and mlndless of Lhe
lnLeresL of Lhe complalnanL
ln Lhe llghL of Lhe foregolng respondenL has commlLLed an acL whlch falls shorL of
Lhe sLandard of Lhe norm of conducL requlred of every aLLorney lf an ordlnary
borrower of money ls requlred by Lhe law Lo repay Lhe loan falllng whlch he may be
sub[ecLed Lo courL acLlon lL ls more so ln Lhe case of a lawyer whose conducL serves
as an example
7

lL would lndeed appear from Lhe records of Lhe case LhaL respondenL was allowed Lo
borrow Lhe money prevlously enLrusLed Lo hlm by complalnanL for Lhe purpose of securlng
Lhe redempLlon of Lhe properLy belonglng Lo complalnanLs parenLs 8espondenL however
dld noL glve adequaLe securlLy for Lhe loan and subsequenLly falled Lo seLLle hls obllgaLlon
8C8LLM A8LAS ln LLCAL L1PlCS CASLS #1 | lZC8LLLL 1 uLCC | 13
AlLhough complalnanL denled havlng loaned Lhe money Lo respondenL Lhe facL ls LhaL
complalnanL accepLed Lhe promlssory noLe glven her by respondenL on uecember 121996
ln effecL complalnanL consenLed Lo and raLlfled respondenLs use of Lhe money lL ls
noLeworLhy LhaL complalnanL dld noL aLLach Lhls promlssory noLe Lo her complalnL nor
explaln Lhe clrcumsLances surroundlng lLs execuLlon She only menLloned lL ln her demand
leLLer of March 12 1998 %Annex 8) ln whlch she referred Lo respondenLs underLaklng Lo
pay her Lhe 2300000 on or before !anuary 1997 under Lhe clrcumsLances and ln vlew of
complalnanLs fallure Lo deny Lhe promlssory noLe Lhe CourL ls consLralned Lo glve
credence Lo respondenLs clalms LhaL Lhe money prevlously enLrusLed Lo hlm by
complalnanL was laLer converLed lnLo a loan
8espondenLs llablllLy ls Lhus noL for mlsapproprlaLlon or embezzlemenL buL for vlolaLlon of
8ule 1604 of Lhe Code of rofesslonal 8esponslblllLy whlch forblds lawyers from borrowlng
money from Lhelr cllenLs unless Lhe laLLers lnLeresLs are proLecLed by Lhe naLure of Lhe
case or by lndependenL advlce ln Lhls case respondenLs llablllLy ls compounded by Lhe
facL LhaL noL only dld he noL glve any securlLy for Lhe paymenL of Lhe amounL loaned Lo
hlm buL LhaL he has also refused Lo pay Lhe sald amounL Pls clalm LhaL he could noL pay
Lhe loan because clrcumsLances dld noL allow lL and LhaL because of Lhe passage of
Llme he somehow forgoL abouL hls obllgaLlon only underscores hls blaLanL dlsregard of
hls obllgaLlon whlch reflecLs on hls honesLy and candor A lawyer ls bound Lo observe
candor falrness and loyalLy ln all hls deallngs and LransacLlons wlLh hls cllenL
8

8espondenL clalms LhaL complalnanL ls a close personal frlend and LhaL ln helplng redeem
Lhe properLy of complalnanLs parenLs he dld noL acL as a lawyer buL as a frlend hence
Lhere ls no cllenLaLLorney relaLlonshlp beLween Lhem 1hls conLenLlon has no merlL As
explalned ln nlloJo v uovlJ
9

1o consLlLuLe professlonal employmenL lL ls noL essenLlal LhaL Lhe cllenL should have
employed Lhe aLLorney professlonally on any prevlous occaslon lt ls oot oecessoty
tbot ooy tetoloet sboolJ bove beeo polJ ptomlseJ ot cbotqeJ fot nelLher ls lL
maLerlal LhaL Lhe aLLorney consulLed dld noL afLerward underLake Lhe case abouL
whlch Lhe consulLaLlon was had lf o petsoo lo tespect to bls bosloess offolts ot
ttoobles of ooy kloJ coosolts wltb bls ottotoey lo bls ptofessloool copoclty wltb tbe
vlew to obtololoq ptofessloool oJvlce ot osslstooce ooJ tbe ottotoey voloototlly
petmlts ot ocpolesces lo socb coosoltotloo tbeo tbe ptofessloool employmeot most
be teqotJeJ os estobllsbeJ
Conslderlng Lhe foregolng Lhe lnvesLlgaLlng Commlssloners recommendaLlon Lo lmpose
on respondenL Lhe penalLy of reprlmand and resLlLuLlon of Lhe amounL loaned by hlm ls
clearly lnadequaLe Cn Lhe oLher hand Lhe penalLy of lndeflnlLe suspenslon wlLh resLlLuLlon
lmposed by Lhe l8 8oard of Covernors ls Loo harsh ln vlew of respondenLs apparenL lack
of lnLenL Lo defraud complalnanL and of Lhe facL LhaL Lhls appears Lo be hls flrsL
admlnlsLraLlve Lransgresslon lL ls Lhe penalLy lmposed ln lqool v Iovlet
10
whlch applles Lo
Lhls case ln LhaL case Lhls CourL ordered Lhe respondenL suspended for one monLh from
Lhe pracLlce of law and dlrecLed hlm Lo pay Lhe amounL glven hlm by hls cllenLs wlLhln 30
days from noLlce for hls fallure Lo reLurn Lhe money ln quesLlon noLwlLhsLandlng hls
admlsslon LhaL he dld noL use Lhe money for Lhe flllng of Lhe appellees brlef as agreed by
Lhem because of an alleged quarrel wlLh hls cllenLs
AnenL peLlLloners allegaLlon regardlng Lhe lack of hearlng durlng Lhe l8 lnvesLlgaLlon
sufflce lL Lo say LhaL he walved such rlghL when he falled Lo commenL on peLlLloners
moLlon Lo submlL Lhe case for resoluLlon on Lhe basls of Lhe pleadlngs LhereLofore flled
desplLe due noLlce Lo hlm noL Lo menLlon Lhe facL LhaL lL was he who had requesLed Lhe
posLponemenL of Lhe Lwo hearlngs scheduled by Lhe lnvesLlgaLlng Commlssloner
WPL8LlC8L Lhe CourL flnds peLlLloner gullLy of vlolaLlon of 8ule 1604 of Lhe Code of
rofesslonal 8esponslblllLy and orders hlm suspended from Lhe pracLlce of law for a perlod
of one %1) monLh and Lo pay Lo respondenL wlLhln 30 days from noLlce Lhe amounL of
2300000 wlLh lnLeresL aL Lhe legal raLe compuLed from uecember 12 1996
SC C8uL8Lu