Professional Documents
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Miranda v. Carpio
Miranda v. Carpio
DECISION
PERALTA , J : p
This is a disbarment case against Atty. Macario D. Carpio filed by Valentin C. Miranda. 1
The facts, as culled from the records, are as follows:
Complainant Valentin C. Miranda is one of the owners of a parcel of land
consisting of 1,890 square meters located at Barangay Lupang Uno, Las Pias, Metro
Manila. In 1994, complainant initiated Land Registration Commission (LRC) Case No.
M-226 for the registration of the aforesaid property. The case was led before the
Regional Trial Court of Las Pias City, Branch 275. During the course of the
proceedings, complainant engaged the services of respondent Atty. Carpio as counsel
in the said case when his original counsel, Atty. Samuel Marquez, gured in a vehicular
accident.
In complainant's Af davit, 2 complainant and respondent agreed that
complainant was to pay respondent Twenty Thousand Pesos (PhP20,000.00) as
acceptance fee and Two Thousand Pesos (PhP2,000.00) as appearance fee.
Complainant paid respondent the amounts due him, as evidenced by receipts duly
signed by the latter. During the last hearing of the case, respondent demanded the
additional amount of Ten Thousand Pesos (PhP10,000.00) for the preparation of a
memorandum, which he said would further strengthen complainant's position in the
case, plus twenty percent (20%) of the total area of the subject property as additional
fees for his services.
Complainant did not accede to respondent's demand for it was contrary to their
agreement. Moreover, complainant co-owned the subject property with his siblings, and
he could not have agreed to the amount being demanded by respondent without the
knowledge and approval of his co-heirs. As a result of complainant's refusal to satisfy
respondent's demands, the latter became furious and their relationship became sore.
ASEcHI
On January 12, 1998, a Decision was rendered in LRC Case No. M-226, granting
the petition for registration, which Decision was declared nal and executory in an
Order dated June 5, 1998. On March 24, 2000, the Land Registration Authority (LRA)
sent complainant a copy of the letter addressed to the Register of Deeds (RD) of Las
Pias City, which transmitted the decree of registration and the original and owner's
duplicate of the title of the property.
On April 3, 2000, complainant went to the RD to get the owner's duplicate of the
Original Certi cate of Title (OCT) bearing No. 0-94. He was surprised to discover that
the same had already been claimed by and released to respondent on March 29, 2000.
On May 4, 2000, complainant talked to respondent on the phone and asked him to turn
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over the owner's duplicate of the OCT, which he had claimed without complainant's
knowledge, consent and authority. Respondent insisted that complainant rst pay him
the PhP10,000.00 and the 20% share in the property equivalent to 378 square meters,
in exchange for which, respondent would deliver the owner's duplicate of the OCT. Once
again, complainant refused the demand, for not having been agreed upon.
In a letter 3 dated May 24, 2000, complainant reiterated his demand for the return
of the owner's duplicate of the OCT. On June 11, 2000, complainant made the same
demand on respondent over the telephone. Respondent reiterated his previous demand
and angrily told complainant to comply, and threatened to have the OCT cancelled if the
latter refused to pay him.
On June 26, 2000, complainant learned that on April 6, 2000, respondent
registered an adverse claim on the subject OCT wherein he claimed that the agreement
on the payment of his legal services was 20% of the property and/or actual market
value. To date, respondent has not returned the owner's duplicate of OCT No. 0-94 to
complainant and his co-heirs despite repeated demands to effect the same.
In seeking the disbarment or the imposition of the appropriate penalty upon
respondent, complainant invokes the following provisions of the Code of Professional
Responsibility:
Canon 20. A lawyer shall charge only fair and reasonable fees.
Canon 16. A lawyer shall hold in trust all moneys and properties of his client
that may come into his possession.
Canon 16.03. A lawyer shall deliver the funds and properties of his client
when due or upon demand. . . .
In defense of his actions, respondent relied on his alleged retaining lien over the
owner's duplicate of OCT No. 0-94. Respondent admitted that he did not turn over to
complainant the owner's duplicate of OCT No. 0-94 because of complainant's refusal,
notwithstanding repeated demands, to complete payment of his agreed professional
fee consisting of 20% of the total area of the property covered by the title, i.e., 378
square meters out of 1,890 square meters, or its equivalent market value at the rate of
PhP7,000.00 per square meter, thus, yielding a sum of PhP2,646,000.00 for the entire
378-square-meter portion and that he was ready and willing to turn over the owner's
duplicate of OCT No. 0-94, should complainant pay him completely the aforesaid
professional fee. aDCIHE
Rule 1.01 A lawyer shall not engage in unlawful, dishonest, immoral or deceitful
conduct.
SO ORDERED.
Abad, Perez, * Mendoza and Perlas-Bernabe, JJ., concur.
Footnotes
* Designated additional member in lieu of Associate Justice Presbitero J. Velasco, Jr., per
Special Order No. 1102 dated September 21, 2011.
1. The case was initially referred by this Court to the Integrated Bar of the Philippines for
investigation, report and recommendation and docketed as ADM. Case No. 6281; rollo, p.
36.
2. Rollo, pp. 7-10.
3. Id. at 24.
4. Id. at 312-323.
5. Id. at 311.
6. Id. at 273-281.
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7. Id. at 325.
8. A.C. No. 7055, July 31, 2006, 497 SCRA 130, 137-138. In that case, the Court held that:
In concurrence with the above, now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED, as it is hereby resolved,
that in accordance with our ruling in Halimao v. Villanueva, pertinent provisions of Rule
III of the Rules of Procedure of the Commission on Bar Discipline, as contained in the By-
Laws of the IBP, particularly 1 and 2, are hereby deemed amended. Accordingly, 1 of
said rules now reads as follows:
SECTION. 1. Pleadings. The only pleadings allowed are verified complaint, verified
answer, verified position papers and motion for reconsideration of a resolution.
(Emphasis supplied.)
And in 2, a motion for reconsideration is, thus, removed from the purview of the class of
prohibited pleadings.
Further, the following guidelines shall be observed by the IBP in respect of disciplinary
cases against lawyers:
1. The IBP must first afford a chance to either party to file a motion for
reconsideration of the IBP resolution containing its findings and recommendations
within fifteen (15) days from notice of receipt by the parties thereon;
2. If a motion for reconsideration has been timely filed by an aggrieved party, the IBP
must first resolve the same prior to elevating to this Court the subject resolution together
with the whole record of the case;
xxx xxx xxx
5. For records of cases already transmitted to this Court where there exist pending
motions for reconsideration filed in due time before the IBP, the latter is directed to
withdraw from this Court the subject resolutions, together with the whole records of the
cases, within 30 days from notice, and, thereafter, to act on said motions with
reasonable dispatch.
9. Ampil v. Hon. Agrava, 145 Phil. 297, 303 (1970). (Emphasis supplied)
10. Id. at 305-306.
11. Lemoine v. Atty. Balon, Jr., 460 Phil. 702, 714 (2003).
12. Rilloroza v. Eastern Telecommunications Phils., Inc., 369 Phil. 1, 11 (1999).
13. Lorenzo v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 85383, August 30, 1990, 189 SCRA 260, 264.
14. Schulz v. Atty. Flores, 462 Phil. 601, 613 (2003).