Problem Areas in Legal Ethics (PALE) Case Digests

// all cases herein, digested by Emile Justin Cebrian

// very sorry for the delay
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Case List:
I. ALAWI V. ALAUYA (on the use of the title "attorney")
II. PAGUIA V. OIC! O "#! P$!%I&!'" (on the (ra)ti)e of la*)
III. AL!+A'&$O V. AL!+A'&$O (on Canon ,- stan.ar.s of /orality)
IV. LA'"O$IA V. 0U'YI (on Canon ,1)
V. 'APOCO$ V. #!I$% O 2ACA0A'G3I" %A'G3AY (on Canon 45- attorney6s fees)
VI. I'O'OG V. +U&G! I0AY (on Canon 47 'e* Canons on +u.i)ial Con.u)t)
VII. $!: L!""!$ O +U&G! AUGU%"U% C. &IA8 (on .is)i(line for errin9 :u.9es)
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CASE I: ALAWI V. ALAUYA A.!. SDC"#$"%"P& 'eb. %(& )##$
'AC*S:
Co/(lainant %o(hia Ala*i (Ala*i) *as a sales re(resentati;e of !. 0. Villarosa an.
Partners Co.7 Lt..7 of &a;ao City (!. 0. Villarosa)- res(on.ent Ashari Alauya (Alauya)
*as the )ler< of )ourt of the =th +u.i)ial %hari6a &istri)t in 2ara*i City.
"hrou9h Ala*i6s a9en)y7 a )ontra)t *as entere. into >et*een !. 0. Villarosa an.
Alauya for the latter6s (ur)hase of a housin9 unit >elon9in9 to the for/er7 (aya>le on an
install/ent >asis. Corollary to this7 a housin9 loan *as 9rante. to Alauya >y the
'ational #o/e 2ort9a9e inan)e Cor(oration ('#2C). Later on7 Alauya sent a letter
to !. 0. Villarosa )on;eyin9 his *ith.ra*al fro/ the )ontra)t on the 9roun. of ;itiate.
)onsent. #e also *rote a nu/>er of letters to '#2C as<in9 for )an)ellation of his
housin9 loan for sa/e reason. "he %u(re/e Court note. that the tone an. lan9ua9e
use. in the letters *ere ?uite a)er>i).
U(on 9ettin9 *in. of *hat :ust ha((ene.7 Ala*i file. *ith the %u(re/e Court a ;erifie.
)o/(laint (*ith a )o(y of the letter sent to !. 0. Villarosa atta)he. thereto) a))usin9
Alauya of7 a/on9 others (e.9. i/(utin9 li>elous an. 9roun.less state/ents in sai.
letter)7 usur(in9 the title of "attorney".
Alauya .efen.e. his use of the title "attorney"7 sayin9 that he *as in no *ay usin9 it in
the sa/e )onte@t as that of a /e/>er of the 0ar. #e )lai/e. that sai. title *as
"le@i)ally synony/ous" *ith the title ")ounsellor-at-la*" *hi)h %hari6a la*yers )an use7
an. that he (refers usin9 "attorney" >e)ause ")ounsellor" is often /ista<en for
")oun)ilor".
ISSUE: Can Alauya7 hi/ not >ein9 a la*yer7 use the title "attorney"A
+ELD: 'O7 he )annot. "he %u(re/e Court re(ri/an.e. Alauya for usin9 sa/e an. for
other )auses7 an. *arne. hi/ that "any si/ilar or other i/(ro(riety or /is)on.u)t in the
future *ill >e .ealt *ith /ore se;erely".
D,C*-I.E:
"While one *ho has >een a./itte. to the %hari6a 0ar an. one *ho has >een a./itte.
to the Phili((ine 0ar /ay >oth >e )onsi.ere. 6)ounsellors76 in the sense that they 9i;e
)ounsel or a.;i)e in a (rofessional )a(a)ity7 only the latter is an 6attorney.6 "he title of
6attorney6 is reser;e. to those *ho7 ha;in9 o>taine. the ne)essary .e9ree in the stu.y
of la* an. su))essfully ta<en the 0ar !@a/inations7 ha;e >een a./itte. to the
Inte9rate. 0ar of the Phili((ines an. re/ain /e/>ers thereof in 9oo. stan.in9- an. it is
they only *ho are authoriBe. to (ra)ti)e la* in this :uris.i)tion."
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CASE II: PA/UIA V. ,''ICE ,' *+E P-ESIDE.*
'AC*S:
Petitioner Alan Pa9uia (Pa9uia) file. an ori9inal a)tion for the *rit of )ertiorari7 in his
)a(a)ity as )itiBen an. ta@(ayer7 to in;ali.ate then-Presi.ent Gloria 2a)a(a9al-Arroyo6s
no/ination of for/er Chief +usti)e #ilario &a;i.e7 +r. (&a;i.e) as Per/anent
$e(resentati;e to the Unite. 'ations. Pa9uia an)hore. his a)tion u(on %e). 41 of $A
C,DC (the Phili((ine orei9n %er;i)e A)t of ,EE,)7 ar9uin9 that sin)e the /an.atory
retire/ent a9e of all offi)ers an. e/(loyees of the &e(art/ent of orei9n Affairs (&A)
is FD7 &a;i.e at C5 surely *oul. >e no*here near ?ualifie. for the (ost to *hi)h he *as
no/inate..
&a;i.e7 the Offi)e of the Presi.ent7 an. the %e)retary of orei9n Affairs7 all res(on.ents
in this )ase7 o((ose. Pa9uia6s a)tion on ;arious 9roun.s7 one of *hi)h is Pa9uia6s
su((ose. ina>ility to >rin9 the suit .ue to his in.efinite sus(ension fro/ the (ra)ti)e of
la*.
ISSUE: Woul. Pa9uia >e in.ee. *ithout stan.in9 to >rin9 suit a9ainst &a;i.e7 et al.7
.ue to hi/ >ein9 sus(en.e. fro/ the (ra)ti)e of la*A
+ELD: Y!%. "he (etition *as .is/isse. >y the %u(re/e Court.
D,C*-I.E:
"GPa9uiaHIs sus(ension fro/ the (ra)ti)e of la* >ars hi/ fro/ (erfor/in9 6any a)ti;ity7 in
or out of )ourt7 *hi)h re?uires the a((li)ation of la*7 le9al (ro)e.ure7 <no*le.9e7
trainin9 an. e@(erien)e.6 Certainly7 (re(arin9 a (etition raisin9 )arefully )rafte.
ar9u/ents on e?ual (rote)tion 9roun.s an. e/(loyin9 hi9hly le9alisti) rules of statutory
)onstru)tion to (arse %e)tion 41 of $A C,DC falls *ithin the (ros)ri>e. )on.u)t."
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CASE III: ALE0A.D-, V. ALE0A.D-, A.C. .o. (%12& 'eb. )3& %44(
'AC*S:
An a./inistrati;e )ase *as file. to the %u(re/e Court >y +o;ita 0usta/ante-Ale:an.ro
(+o;ita) a9ainst her hus>an.7 Atty. Warfre.o "o/as Ale:an.ro (Ale:an.ro)7 an. Atty.
2ari)ris Villarin (Villarin)7 )har9in9 the/ *ith >i9a/y an. )on)u>ina9e. "he %u(re/e
Court referre. the )ase to the Inte9rate. 0ar of the Phili((ines (I0P)7 *ith the I0P
re)o//en.in9 that Ale:an.ro an. Villarin >e .is>arre. for ha;in9 ;iolate. $ule ,.5, of
the Co.e of Professional $es(onsi>ility.
ISSUE: %houl. Ale:an.ro >e .is>arre.A
+ELD: Y!%. Ale:an.ro *as .is>arre. >y the %u(re/e Court7 there >ein9 suffi)ient
e;i.en)e to sho* that he7 *hile >ein9 la*fully /arrie.7 )arrie. on an illi)it relationshi(
*ith another *o/an.
D,C*-I.E:
J$ule ,.5,7 Canon , of the Co.e of Professional $es(onsi>ility (ro;i.es K
A lawyer shall not engage in unlawful, dishonest, immoral or deceitful conduct.
L Ga la*yerH is e@(e)te. to >e )o/(etent7 honora>le an. relia>le at all ti/es sin)e he
*ho )annot a((ly an. a>i.e >y the la*s in his (ri;ate affairs7 )an har.ly >e e@(e)te. to
.o so in his (rofessional .ealin9s nor lea. others in .oin9 so L GtHhe a./inistration of
:usti)e7 in *hi)h the la*yer (lays an i/(ortant role >ein9 an offi)er of the )ourt7
.e/an.s a hi9h .e9ree of intelle)tual an. /oral )o/(eten)y on his (art so that the
)ourts an. )lients /ay ri9htly re(ose )onfi.en)e in hi/.M
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CASE IV: LA.*,-IA V. 5U.YI A.!. .o. )$2#& 06n. 7& )##%
'AC*S:
Cesar Lantoria (Lantoria) file. an a./inistrati;e )o/(laint a9ainst Atty. Irineo 0unyi
(0unyi) for alle9e.ly ha;in9 )o//itte. a)ts of J9raft an. )orru(tion7 .ishonesty an.
)on.u)t un>e)o/in9 of a /e/>er of the Inte9rate. 0ar of the Phili((ines7 an.
)orru(tion of the :u.9e an. >ri>eryM7 s(e)ifi)ally (ennin9 .e)isions for three )i;il )ases
in *hi)h he a)te. as )ounsel for one of the (arties. All the :u.9e ha. to .o *as to si9n7
an. it *as .one.
"he %u(re/e Court referre. the )ase to the %oli)itor General7 *ho foun. 0unyi J9uilty
of hi9hly unethi)al an. un(rofessional )on.u)tM an. re)o//en.e. that he >e
sus(en.e. fro/ the (ra)ti)e of la* for a year.
ISSUE: %houl. 0unyi >e sus(en.e.A
+ELD: Y!%. "he %u(re/e Court follo*e. the %oli)itor GeneralIs re)o//en.ation an.7
>y *ay of .is)i(linary a)tion7 sus(en.e. 0unyi fro/ the (ra)ti)e of la* for a (erio. of
one year.

D,C*-I.E:
CANON ! " A lawyer shall rely u#on the merits of his cause and refrain from
any im#ro#riety which tends to influence, or gives the a##earance of influencing
the court.
$ule !.% " A lawyer shall not e&tend e&traordinary attention or
hos#itality to, nor see' o##ortunity for, cultivating familiarity with (udges.)
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CASE V: .AP,C,- V. +EI-S ,' !ACA5A./8I* SA./8AY /.-. .o. )217%7&
A6g. %(& %4))
'AC*S:
$es(on.ents7 all heirs of 2a<a>an9<it (the heirs)7 sue. the 'ational Po*er Cor(oration
('APOCO$) for .a/a9es an. of their (ro(erty7 *here (art of 'APOCO$6s
un.er9roun. tunnels *ere )onstru)te. -- alle9e.ly *ithout their <no*le.9e -- an.
su>se?uently ran7 *ith the alternati;e (rayer for :ust )o/(ensation. "he un.er9roun.
tunnels *ere )onstru)te. in (ursuan)e of the /an.ate lai. .o*n in $A F1ED (re;isin9
'APOCO$6s )harter): in (arti)ular7 to 9enerate ele)tri)ity in 2in.anao.
0ran)h , of the Ili9an City $"C rule. thus: 'APOCO$ *as or.ere. to (ay the heirs :ust
)o/(ensation for their lan.7 an.7 a/on9 other a*ar.s7 attorney6s fees. 'APOCO$
raise. the issue to the CA7 only for the a((ellate )ourt to affir/ the $"C rulin9 in toto.
ISSUE: 0ein9 that Atty. 2a)aru(un9 &i>aratun (Atty. &i>aratun) an. Atty. 2anuel &.
0allelos >oth assert their res(e)ti;e ri9hts to attorney6s G(rofessionalH fees7 >oth ha;in9
re(resente. the heirs7 ho* /u)h *ill ea)h la*yer 9etA
+ELD: On the >asis of *uantum meruit7 Atty. &i>aratun6s (rofessional fees a/ount to
,5N of the (rin)i(al a*ar. of P,,17D147D55.55 (than<s to the a/ount an. ?uality of the
effort e@erte.7 an. the ti/e e@(en.e. K i.e. the %C is sayin9 that the 9uy is ?uite 9oo.)-
Atty. 0allelos6 fees are to >e o>taine. fro/ those of the heirs *ho en9a9e. his ser;i)es
an. are fi@e. at PD7555 (on the other han.7 the %C J)onsi.ers GAtty. 0allelosIH *or< in
the )ase as ;ery /ini/alM7 hen)e the :a*-.ro((in9 fee).
D,C*-I.E:
"+uantum meruit K literally /eanin9 Oas /u)h as he .eser;esI K is use. as >asis for
.eter/inin9 an attorneyIs (rofessional fees in the a>sen)e of an e@(ress a9ree/ent.
"he re)o;ery of attorneyIs fees on the >asis of *uantum meruit is a .e;i)e that (re;ents
an uns)ru(ulous )lient fro/ runnin9 a*ay *ith the fruits of the le9al ser;i)es of )ounsel
*ithout (ayin9 for it an. also a;oi.s un:ust enri)h/ent on the (art of the attorney
hi/self. An attorney /ust sho* that he is entitle. to reasona>le )o/(ensation for the
effort in (ursuin9 the )lientIs )ause7 ta<in9 into a))ount )ertain fa)tors in fi@in9 the
a/ount of le9al fees.

"$ule ,%. - A lawyer shall be guided by the following factors in determining his
fees.
a. /he time s#ent and the e&tent of the services rendered or re*uired0
>. /he novelty and difficult of the *uestions involved0
). /he im#ortant of the sub(ect matter0
.. /he s'ill demanded0
e. /he #robability of losing other em#loyment as a result of acce#tance of
the #roffered case0
f. /he customary charges for similar services and the schedule of fees of
the 123 cha#ter to which he belongs0
9. /he amount involved in the controversy and the benefits resulting to the
client from the service0
h. /he contingency or certainty of com#ensation0
i. /he character of the em#loyment, whether occasional or established0 and
:. /he #rofessional standing of the lawyer."
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CASE VI: I.,.,/ 9. 0UD/E I5AY A.!. .o. -*0"4#"%)$1& 06l. %7& %44#
'AC*S:
An a./inistrati;e )ase *as file. *ith the %u(re/e Court >y *ay of a %inu/(aan9
%alaysay 9i;en >y 9o;ern/ent se)urity-.ri;er Venan)io Inono9 (Inono9) to the Offi)e of
the Court A./inistrator )har9in9 +u.9e ran)is)o I>ay (+u.9e I>ay) of the 2a<ati $"C7
0ran)h ,1D7 *ith 9ross a>use of authority. A((arently7 +u.9e I>ay )ite. hi/ in in.ire)t
)onte/(t of )ourt an. senten)e. hi/ to D .ays of i/(rison/ent an. a P,7555 fine for
ha;in9 ina.;ertently (ar<e. his >oss6 ;ehi)le in the (ar<in9 slot reser;e. for the +u.9e
-- all in a /atter of hours.
+u.9e I>ay ratio)inate. his )on.u)t to the effe)t that he )ite. Inono9 in )onte/(t out of
)on)ern *ith the s(ee.y .is(osition of )ases assi9ne. to hi/7 *hi)h *as )o/(ro/ise.
*hen7 to his sur(rise7 he foun. another ;ehi)le (ar<e. at his s(a)e7 for)in9 hi/ to loo<
for another (la)e to (ar< an. in effe)t *astin9 ti/e an. .elayin9 the (ro/ul9ation of the
.e)ision for a )ertain )ri/inal )ase.
"he Offi)e of the Court A./inistrator (OCA) re)o//en.e. that +u.9e I>ay >e
(enaliBe. *ith a PD7555 fine7 alon9 *ith a stern *arnin9 that re(etition of the sa/e a)t
or anythin9 rese/>lin9 it shall >e .ealt *ith /ore se;erely.
ISSUE: %houl. +u.9e I>ay >e (enaliBe.A
+ELD: Y!%. "he %u(re/e Court e;en too< the (enalty u( a not)h fro/ that *hi)h *as
re)o//en.e. >y the OCA7 ha;in9 or.ere. +u.9e I>ay to (ay a P=57555 fine to >e
.e.u)te. fro/ his retire/ent >enefits (the reason for the in)rease >ein9 that the 9oo.
+u.9e *as a)tually a re(eat offen.er alrea.y).
D,C*-I.E:
"0esi.es (ossessin9 the re?uisite learnin9 in the la*7 a /a9istrate /ust e@hi>it that
hall/ar< of :u.i)ial te/(era/ent of ut/ost so>riety an. self-restraint *hi)h are
in.is(ensa>le ?ualities of e;ery :u.9e."
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CASE VII: -E: LE**E- ,' 0UD/E AU/US*US C. DIA: A.!. .o. 4$"$")$"SC&
Se;t. )#& %44$
'AC*S:
+u.9e Au9ustus &iaB (+u.9e &iaB) a((eale. for :u.i)ial )le/en)y >efore the %u(re/e
Court7 in ;ie* of his ha;in9 >een (re;iously )on;i)te. of 9ross i9noran)e of the la* an.
fine. P457555 for not hearin9 a /otion for .e/olition. Without :u.i)ial )le/en)y7 he )an
no lon9er >e no/inate. for a((oint/ent to any :u.i)ial (ost7 *hi)h >o.es failure for his
a((li)ation for :u.9eshi( in so/e ;a)ant $"C >ran)h in 2etro 2anila.
ISSUE: %houl. +u.9e &iaB6s (lea for :u.i)ial )le/en)y >e 9rante.A
+ELD: Y!%. "he %u(re/e Court .i. 9rant +u.9e &iaB6s re?uest for :u.i)ial )le/en)y.
D,C*-I.E:
J%e)tion D7 $ule = of the $ules of the +u.i)ial an. 0ar Coun)il (ro;i.es:

J4EC. 5. 6is*ualification. - /he following are dis*ualified from being nominated
for a##ointment to any (udicial #ost or as Ombudsman or 6e#uty Ombudsman.
,. /hose with #ending criminal or regular administrative cases0
4. /hose with #ending criminal cases in foreign courts or tribunals0 and
1. /hose who have been convicted in any criminal case0 or in an
administrative case, where the #enalty im#osed is at least a fine of more
than 3%,%%%, unless he has been granted (udicial clemency.
JIn the e@er)ise of its )onstitutional (o*er of a./inistrati;e su(er;ision o;er all )ourts
an. all (ersonnel thereof7 the Court lays .o*n the follo*in9 9ui.elines in resol;in9
re?uests for :u.i)ial )le/en)y:
A. "here /ust >e (roof of re/orse an. refor/ation. "hese shall in)lu.e >ut shoul.
not >e li/ite. to )ertifi)ations or testi/onials of the offi)er(s) or )ha(ter(s) of the
Inte9rate. 0ar of the Phili((ines7 :u.9es or :u.9es asso)iations an. (ro/inent
/e/>ers of the )o//unity *ith (ro;en inte9rity an. (ro>ity. A su>se?uent
fin.in9 of 9uilt in an a./inistrati;e )ase for the sa/e or si/ilar /is)on.u)t *ill
9i;e rise to a stron9 (resu/(tion of non-refor/ation.
0. %uffi)ient ti/e /ust ha;e la(se. fro/ the i/(osition of the (enalty to ensure a
(erio. of refor/ation.
C. "he a9e of the (erson as<in9 for )le/en)y /ust sho* that he still has (ro.u)ti;e
years ahea. of hi/ that )an >e (ut to 9oo. use >y 9i;in9 hi/ a )han)e to
re.ee/ hi/self.
&. "here /ust >e a sho*in9 of (ro/ise (su)h as intelle)tual a(titu.e7 learnin9 or
le9al a)u/en or )ontri>ution to le9al s)holarshi( an. the .e;elo(/ent of the
le9al syste/ or a./inistrati;e an. other rele;ant s<ills)7 as *ell as (otential for
(u>li) ser;i)e.
!. "here /ust >e other rele;ant fa)tors an. )ir)u/stan)es that /ay :ustify
)le/en)y.M