Hernandezv.

Go
January31,2005
FACTS
BothpartiesarefromZamboangaCity.
Theallegationsinthelettercomplaintare:Sometimein1961,complainantshusband
abandonedherandherson,LucianoS.Hernandez,Jr.Shortlythereafter,herhusbandsnumerous
creditorsdemandedpaymentsofhisloans.Fearfulthatthevariousmortgagecontractsinvolving
herpropertieswillbeforeclosedandawareofimpendingsuitsforsumsofmoneyagainsther,
complainantengagedthelegalservicesofAtty.JoseC.Go,hereinrespondent.
Respondentinstilledincomplainantafeelingofhelplessness,fear,embarrassment,andsocial
humiliation.HeadvisedhertogivehimherlandtitlescoveringLots848A,849Q,and849Pat
ZamboangaCitysohecouldsellthemtoenablehertopayhercreditors.Hethenpersuadedher
toexecutedeedsofsaleinhisfavorwithoutanymonetaryorvaluableconsideration.
Complainantagreedonconditionthathewouldsellthelotsandfromtheproceedspayher
creditors.ComplainantalsoownedLots2118,2139,and1141A,likewiselocatedinZamboanga
City,whichweremortgagedtohercreditors.Whenthemortgagesfelldue,respondentredeemed
thelots.Again,heconvincedhertoexecutedeedsofsaleinvolvingthoselotsinhisfavor.Asa
result,respondentbecametheregisteredownerofallthelotsbelongingtocomplainant.
Sometimein1974,complainantcametoknowthatrespondentdidnotsellherlotsasagreed
upon.Instead,hepaidhercreditorswithhisownfundsandhadherlandtitlesregisteredinhis
name,deprivingherofherrealpropertiesworthmillions.
InourResolutiondatedSeptember24,1975,respondentwasrequiredtofilehiscommenton
thecomplaint.Insteadoffilinghiscomment,respondentsubmittedamotiontodismissonthe
groundthatthecomplaintisprematuresincethereispendingbeforethethenCourtofFirst
InstanceofZamboangaCityCivilCaseNo.1781forrecoveryofownershipanddeclarationof
nullityofdeedsofsalefiledbycomplainantagainsthiminvolvingthesubjectlots.
OnNovember14,1975,weissuedaResolutiondenyingrespondentsmotionandrequiringhim
tosubmithisanswer.InhisanswerdatedDecember19,1975,respondentdeniedtheallegations
intheinstantcomplaint.Heaverredthathesold,ingoodfaith,complainantslotstovarious
buyers,includinghimself,forvaluableconsideration.Onseveraloccasions,heextendedfinancial
assistancetocomplainantandeveninvitedhertolivewithhisfamily.Hischildrenusedtocall
herLoladuetoherfrequentvisitstohisresidence.Heprayedthatthecomplaintbedismissed
forfailuretostateacauseofaction.
OnJanuary17,1977,wereferredthecasetotheOfficeoftheSolicitorGeneral(OSG)for
investigation,report,andrecommendation.ItwasonlyonMarch13,1990orafter13years,1
monthand26daysthattheOSGfiledamotiontorefertheinstantcasetotheIBPfortheretaking
ofthetestimoniesofcomplainantswitnessesandthesubmissionofitsreportand
recommendation.
OnApril4,1990,weissuedaResolutionreferringthecasetotheIBPforinvestigation,report,
andrecommendation.

TheReportandRecommendationdatedJune15,2004ofAtty.LydiaA.Navarro,
CommissioneroftheIBPCommissiononBarDiscipline,isquotedasfollows:Acareful
examinationandevaluationoftheevidencesubmittedbythepartiesshowedthatalltheproperties
ofthecomplainantarepresentlyownedbytherespondentbyvirtueofseveraldeedsofsale
executedbythecomplainantinfavoroftherespondentwithoutmonetaryconsiderationexcept
Lot849DsituatedinTomasClaudiowhichwasreturnedbytherespondenttothecomplainant
onSeptember5,1974.
Itisevidentfromtherecordsthatrespondentwastheonewhonotarizedthedocuments
involvingthesaidpropertiesredeemedorrepurchasedbythecomplainantfromhercreditors
whichendedupinrespondentsnamelikeinthedeedofsaleexecutedbyVictorianoDejeranoin
favorofNazariaHernandezoverLots1141A3Aand1141A3B;deedofsaleexecutedby
AntonioMasrahononSeptember3,1961regardingLotNo.1141A;deedofabsolutesale
executedbyFranciscoEsperatovertheCuruanpropertiesonNovember9,1971andthe
cancellationofthemortgageexecutedbyAlfonsoEnriquezonJuly18,1964overtheTomas
Claudioproperties
Theforegoinglegalactivitiesandoperationsoftherespondentinadditiontohishaving
discussed,advisedandgavesolutionstocomplainantslegalproblemsandliabilitiestoher
creditorsandevenrequestedhercreditorsforextensionoftimetopaycomplainantsaccounts
constitutepracticeoflawaslegalcounselforconsultationasidefromrepresentingcomplainantin
othercases;amuteproofofalawyerclientrelationsbetweenthem,afactalsoadmittedbythe
respondent.
Itisincumbentupontherespondenttohaverenderedadetailedreporttothecomplainanton
howhepaidcomplainantscreditorswithoutsellingherproperties.Insteadofsellingtobuyersat
higherprice,hepaidthemoutofhisownfunds;thenlateronadmittedthathewasoneofthe
purchasersofcomplainantspropertiesinutterdisregardoftheiragreementandnoevidencewas
submittedbytherespondentconcerningthevalueofthesaidsaleofcomplainantsproperties.
Assuch,respondentdidnotadherefaithfullyandhonestlyinhisobligationanddutyas
complainantslegaladviserandcounselwhenhetookadvantageofthetrustandconfidence
reposedinhimbythecomplainantinultimatelyputtingcomplainantspropertiesinhisnameand
possessioninviolationofCanon17oftheCodeofProfessionalResponsibility.
WHEREFORE,inviewoftheforegoing,theundersignedrespectfullyrecommendsthat
respondentAtty.JoseC.Gobesuspendedfromthepracticeoflawforaperiodofsix(6)months
fromreceipthereofandtheIBPChapterwhereheisaregisteredmemberbefurnishedacopyof
thesameforimplementationhereof,subjecttotheapprovaloftheHonorableMembersofthe
BoardofGovernors.
OnJuly30,2004,theIBPBoardofGovernorspassedResolutionNo.XVI200439adopting
andapprovingtheReportofCommissionerNavarrowithmodificationinthesensethatthe
recommendedpenaltyofsuspensionfromthepracticeoflawwasincreasedfromsix(6)months
tothree(3)years.
ISSUE
WONtheResolutionoftheIBPBoardofGovernorsfindingthatrespondentviolatedtheCodeof
ProfessionalResponsibilitybesustainedYES

HELD
However,wehavetomodifyitsrecommendedpenalty.Canon16oftheCodeofProfessional
Responsibility,theprincipalsourceofethicalrulesforlawyersinthisjurisdiction,provides:A
lawyershallholdintrustallmoneysandpropertiesofhisclientthatmaycomeintohis
possession.RespondentbreachedthisCanon.Hisactsofacquiringforhimselfcomplainants
lotsentrustedtohimare,byanystandard,actsconstitutinggrossmisconduct,agrievouswrong,a
forbiddenact,aderelictioninduty,willfulincharacter,andimpliesawrongfulintentandnot
mereerrorinjudgment.Suchconductonthepartofrespondentdegradesnotonlyhimselfbut
alsothenameandhonorofthelegalprofession.HeviolatedthisCourtsmandatethatlawyers
mustatalltimesconductthemselves,especiallyintheirdealingwiththeirclientsandthepublic
atlarge,withhonestyandintegrityinamannerbeyondreproach.Canon17ofthesameCode
states:Alawyerowesfidelitytothecauseofhisclientandheshallbemindfulofthetrust
andconfidencereposedinhim.Therecordsshowthatcomplainantreposedsuchhighdegree
oftrustandconfidenceinhereinrespondent,thatwhensheengagedhisservices,sheentrustedto
himherlandtitlesandallowedhimtosellherlots,believingthattheproceedsthereofwouldbe
usedtopayhercreditors.Respondent,however,abusedhertrustandconfidencewhenhedidnot
sellherpropertiestoothersbuttohimselfandspenthisownmoneytopayherobligations.As
correctlyobservedbyInvestigatingIBPCommissionerLydiaNavarro,respondentisdutybound
torenderadetailedreporttothecomplainantonhowmuchhesoldthelatterslotsandthe
amountspaidtohercreditors.Obviously,hadhesoldthelotstootherbuyers,complainant could
haveearnedmore.Recordsshowthatshedidnotreceiveanyamountfromrespondent.Clearly,
respondentdidnotadherefaithfullyandhonestlyinhisdutyascomplainantscounsel.
Section27,Rule138oftheRevisedRulesofCourtmandatesthatalawyermaybedisbarredor
suspendedbythisCourtforanyofthefollowingacts:(1)deceit;(2)malpractice;(3)gross
misconductinoffice;(4)grosslyimmoralconduct;(5)convictionofacrimeinvolvingmoral
turpitude;(6)violationofthelawyersoath;(7)willfuldisobedienceofanylawfulorderofa
superiorcourt;and(8)willfullyappearingasanattorneyforapartywithoutauthoritytodoso.
InRayosOmbacvs.Rayos,weorderedthedisbarmentoflawyerwhenhedeceivedhis85year
oldauntintoentrustinghimwithallhermoneyandlaterrefusedtoreturnthesamedespite
demand.InNavarrovs.MenesesIII,wedisbarredamemberoftheBarforhisrefusalorfailure
toaccountfortheP50,000.00hereceivedfromaclienttosettleacase.InDocenavs.Limson,we
expelledfromthebrotherhoodoflawyers,anattorneywhoextortedmoneyfromhisclient
throughdeceitandmisrepresentation.InBusiosvs.Ricafort,anattorneywasstrippedofhis
licensetopracticelawformisappropriatinghisclientsmoney.
Consideringthedepravityofrespondentsoffense,wefindthepenaltyrecommendedbytheIBP
toolight.Itbearsreiteratingthatalawyerwhotakesadvantageofhisclientsfinancialplightto
acquirethelatterspropertiesforhisownbenefitisdestructiveoftheconfidenceofthepublicin
thefidelity,honesty,andintegrityofthelegalprofession.Thus,forviolationofCanon16and
Canon17oftheCodeofProfessionalResponsibility,whichconstitutesgrossmisconduct,and
consistentwiththeneedtomaintainthehighstandardsoftheBarandthuspreservethefaithof
thepublicinthelegalprofession,respondentdeservestheultimatepenalty,thatofexpulsionfrom
theesteemedbrotherhoodoflawyers.DispositionRespondentJOSES.GOisfoundguiltyof
grossmisconductandisDISBARREDfromthepracticeoflaw.HisnameisorderedSTRICKEN
fromtheRollofAttorneysEFFECTIVEIMMEDIATELY.