Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Ethics Cannon 17 and 18
Ethics Cannon 17 and 18
Potenciano
FACTS: Complainant lost an ejectment case and was issued to
vacate the
rented premises. Desperate and at a loss on what to do, they
consulted a
certain Sheriff Pagalunan, on the matter. Pagalunan, in turn,
introduced
them to herein respondent. After such introduction, the parties
"impliedly
agreed" that respondent would handle their case.
In the afternoon of October 9,1987, the complainant was made to
sign by
respondent what she described as a "[h]astily prepared, poorly
conceived, and haphazardly composed 3 petition for annulment of
judgment. Complainant alleges that respondent promised her that
the
necessary restraining order would be secured if only because the
judge
who would hear the matter was his "katsukaran" (close friend).
However,
when the case was raffled and assigned to Branch 153, the
presiding
judge asked respondent to withdraw as counsel in the case on the
ground of their friendship.
Responsibility.
HELD: Yes, this Court finds Atty. Humberto V. Potenciano to be
guilty of the
charges against him and hereby SUSPENDS him from the practice
of law
for an indefinite period until such time he can demonstrate that
he has
rehabilitated himself as to deserve to resume the practice of law.
RATIO: When a lawyer takes a client's cause, he thereby
covenants that
he will exert all effort for its prosecution until its final conclusion.
The failure
to exercise due diligence or the abandonment of a client's cause
makes
such lawyer unworthy of the trust which the client had reposed on
him.
The acts of respondent in this case violate the most elementary
principles
of professional ethics.
The Court finds that respondent failed to exercise due diligence in
protecting his client's interests. Respondent had knowledge
beforehand
that he would be asked by the presiding judge in Civil Case No.
55118 to
withdraw his appearance as counsel by reason of their friendship.
Despite
have easily found out the latter date had he inquired from
Eugenio
Magpoc or Feliciano Jimenez, Jr. and in the circumstances, we find
no
excuse for his having failed to do so.
The Court cited, Bello vs. Fernando, Section 3, Rule 41 of the
Rules of
Court requires that the notice of appeal, the appeal bond, and the
record on appeal be all filed in court, and served on the adverse
party,
within thirty days from notice of judgment. ...; and compliance
with this
period for appeal is considered absolutely indispensable for the
prevention of needless delays and to the orderly and speedy
discharge of
judicial business, so that if said period is not complied with, the
judgment
becomes final and executory.
Such circumstances do not exist in this case. We may also add
that
appellant, while invoking the interest of justice, has not shown
how it
would stand to be prejudiced from the loss of its right to appeal.
From the
record no such prejudice can be gathered, especially because the
CASE 137: Tomas Alcoriza vs. Atty. Alberto Lumakang, A.M. No.
249,
November 21, 1978
FACTS: An administrative complaint for disciplinary action was
filed
against Respondents Attys. Pablo Salazar and Alberto Lumakang.
This
case was referred to the Office of the Solicitor General, for
investigation,
report and recommendation. Since the respondents were
residents of
Davao, the case was referred to the City Attorney of Davao City.
The
latter submitted that the whole case emanated from the decision
of the
MTC for sum of money, between Juana V. Antonio vs. Tomas
Alcoriza. The
trial was conducted in the absence of the defendant and or his
counsels
despite the fact that they have been duly notified.
Atty. Lumakang explains his failure to appear in the trial:
Early in the morning as usual as I used to, I reported to the
office at 7:30
believing that Tomas Alcoriza would come to the office. I waited
for him
until 9:00. I know that the hearing of Judge Hofilea will be 9:00
and that
as I said if he will not appear in my office I will not appear for him
as I
would be going there without any preparation, so that on that day
though I was jittery I did not go to the court. I stayed in the office
waiting
for Alcoriza.
Atty. Lumakang contended that when he asked Alcoriza why he
did not
go to the office or to the Court to attend to the trial of his case,
Alcoriza
merely answered that he is busy. He then told Alcoriza that the
Judge has
become impatient because of the many postponements, that an
order
was issued giving him last postponement and that if he will be
absent
again on the day of the trial, the Court will proceed to try the case
ex
parte. Alcoriza assured that he will go and Atty. Lumakang told
him that if
he will not come to the office on the date of the trial, Atty.
Lumakang will
not appear in Court as his appearance would only be useless.
Atty. Lumakang suspected that Alcoriza had already lost his
interest in the
case. This suspicion came true because on the date set for
hearing of his
CASE 138: Emilio Capulong, et. al. vs. Manuel G. Alino, A.M. No.
381,
February 10, 1968
FACTS: Respondent Manuel G. Alio a member of the bar, is
charged by
his former clients, the spouses Emilio and Cirila Capulong, with
alleged
"gross negligence tantamount to malpractice and betrayal of his
clients'
trust and confidence."
On August 21, 1957, respondent received from the complainants,
as their
counsel in Civil Case No. 2248 of the Court of First Instance of
Nueva Ecija
the decision in which, adverse to said complainants, had been
appealed by them to the Court of Appeals the sum of P298.00,
for the
specific purpose of applying the same to the payment of the
"appellate"
docket fees (P24), appeal bond (P15), (printing of) the record on
appeal
(P150) and appellants' brief (P100), and that said appeal was
dismissed
because of respondent's failure to pay the docket fee and to
deposit the
estimated cost of printing of the record on appeal.
the Court of Appeals the docket fee and the estimated cost of
printing
the record on appeal," said Court dismissed the aforementioned
appeal.
ISSUE/S: WON respondent is guilty of violation of Canon 18.03 of
the Code
of Professional Responsibility.
HELD: Yes. Respondent Alino is guilty of such.
RATIO: A misappropriation of funds held by respondent in trust for
his
clients and a breach of such trust, the foregoing acts and
omissions
indicate the high degree of irresponsibility of respondent herein
and his
unworthiness to continue as a member of the legal profession.
Under Canon 18.03 which provides: A lawyer shall not neglect a
legal
matter entrusted to him and his negligence in connection
therewith shall
render him liable.
The evidence on record fully confirms the finding of guilt made by
the
Provincial Fiscal of Nueva Ecija and the Solicitor General and their
conclusion to the effect that respondent's uncorroborated
testimony is
noticed that since then, Arcangel had lost interest in the progress
of their
claims and when they finally asked for the return of their papers
six years
later, Arcangel refused to surrender them.
Arcangel admitted having received the documents from
complainants
but argued that it was for photostating purposes only. His failure
to
immediately return them was due to complainants Blanza and
Pasion's
refusal to hand him the money to pay for the photostating costs
which
prevented him from withdrawing said documents from the
photostat
service. Nonetheless, he had already advanced the expenses
himself and
turned over, on December 13, 1961, the documents, their
respective
photostats and the photostat service receipt to the fiscal.
ISSUE/S: WON Arcangel violated Rule 18.04 wherein a lawyer
must inform
the client on status of case
HELD: The court is compelled to dismiss the charges against
respondent
Arcangel for being legally insufficient because of the affidavit of
Mrs.