Bolivar vs.

Simbol
[A.C. No. 377 April 29, 1966.]
FACTS: Concepcion Bolivar lived wi! and "inanciall# $%ppored A&elardo Si'&ol # (an%el in
!i$ $%d#in) "or law $c!ool and o!er per$onal nece$$iie$ $ince !e pro'i$ed 'arria)e o Bolivar.
B% a$ $oon a$ Si'&ol "ini$!ed !i$ $%die$ !e 'arried ano!er wo'an w!ile *eepin) i a $ecre
"ro' Bolivar and conin%in) o )e 'one# "ro' !er. B% w!en Bolivar "o%nd !i$ $ecre, Si'&ol
$ill ried o a$* 'one# "ro' !er and per$%ade !er o conin%e !eir relaion$!ip. T!i$ pro'ped
Bolivar o "ile a Civil Ca$e o" !e +%venile , -o'e$ic .elaion$ Co%r a)ain$ Si'&ol &% !i$
did no pro$per $ince A#. Si'&ol and (i$$ Concepcion !ad e/ec%ed a co'pro'i$e a)ree'en.
B% !e Sol 0en "iled "or di$&ar'en proceedin)$ on 'oral )ro%nd$ a)ain$ A#. Si'&ol. So, on
1co&er 31, 1963, !e Cler* o" Co%r $en a 'ail o re$ponden !r% A#. 2alenino 0. Ca$ro, !i$
co%n$el o" record, a leer wi! a cop# o" !e "ore)oin) co'plain. A#. Ca$ro replied !a a"er
!e e/ec%ion o" !e co'pro'i$e a)ree'en &eween Bolivar and A#. Si'&ol, !e no lon)er
!eard "ro' A#. Si'&ol. 3e "%r!er $aed !a !e ried o )e in o%c! wi! !e re$ponden &%
wa$ %na&le o do $o and !e re4%e$ed !a cop# o" !e co'plain &e $en direcl# o $aid
re$ponden5$ addre$$. So !e Co%r did a$ w!a wa$ re4%e$ed &% !e leer re%rned wi! !e
noaion on !e envelope !a $aid re$ponden wa$ no lon)er in !a ci#. A !e !earin) $e &# !e
Co%r on Fe&r%ar# 3, 1966, Solicior S%'ilan) 2. Bernardo and A#. To'a$ 7%'%l "or
co'plainan appeared and !e# $%&'ied !e ca$e "or deci$ion wi!o% oral ar)%'en. T!ere wa$
no appearance "or re$ponden.
ISSUES:
1. 8!e!er or no !e ca$e a)ain$ A#. Si'&ol can pro$per even !o%)! !e did no re$pond o
!e leer o" !e Solicior 0eneral.
2. 8!e!er or no A#. Si'&ol i$ )%il# o" 9)ro$$l# i''oral cond%c9 %nder Secion 27, .%le
13:, .%le$ o" Co%r.
RULING:
1. ;nder Secion 3<, .%le 13: o" !e .%le$ o" Co%r w!ic! $ae$ !a Aorne#$ !a$ o &e !eard
&e"ore re'oval or $%$pen$ion. B% i" %pon rea$ona&le noice !e "ail$ o appear and an$wer !e
acc%$aion, !e co%r 'a# proceed o deer'ine !e 'aer. =n view o" !i$ r%le, re$ponden *new
!a !e di$&ar'en proceedin)$ were pendin). 3i$ ri)! o pracice !i$ pro"e$$ion wa$ a $a*e.
3e co%ld ill>a""ord o ?%$ $and &# and wai. = wa$ !i$ d%# o in4%ire a$ o !i$ "ae. 3e wa$
!ide&o%nd &# !i$ o&li)aion o in"or' !i$ Co%r o" !i$ w!erea&o%$. F%r!er'ore, noice o"
!earin) wa$ $en o !i' a &o! !i$ (anila and -%'a)%ee addre$$e$ and !e did no &o!er o )e
i "ro' !e po$>o""ice. @ven !i$ wo aorne#$ o" record, w!o received $aid noice, did no appear
&e"ore !i$ Co%r. 1n !e "ace !e$e "ac$, re$ponden )ave !e Co%r a'ple rea$on o &elieve
!a !e p%rpo$el# $a#ed awa# and waived !i$ ri)! o &e !eard. T!ere"ore, !e ca$e can pro$per.
2. .e$pondenA$ ac$ o" 'a*in) a d%pe o" co'plainan, livin) on !er &o%n# and allowin) !er o
$pend "or !i$ $c!oolin) and o!er per$onal nece$$iie$ w!ile dan)lin) &e"ore !er !e 'ira)e o" a
'arria)e, 'arr#in) ano!er )irl a$ $oon a$ !e !ad "ini$!ed !i$ $%die$, *eepin) !i$ 'arria)e a
$ecre w!ile conin%in) o de'and 'one# "ro' co'plainan, and r#in) o $pon)e on !er and
per$%ade !er o re$%'e !eir &ro*en relaion$!ip a"er !e laerA$ di$cover# o" !i$ i''oral ac$,
are indicaive o" a c!aracer no wor!# o" a 'e'&er o" !e &ar. T!e "ac !a co'plainan !a$
wi!drawn !er co'plain a)ain$ re$ponden doe$ no wipe o% !e )rievo%$ o""en$e !e !ad
co''ied. .e$ponden 9!a$ "ailed o 'ainain !e !i)!e$ de)ree o" 'orali# e/peced and
re4%ired o" a 'e'&er o" !e &arB. T!ere"ore, !e i$ )%il# o" 9)ro$$l# i''oral cond%c9 wi!in
!e 'eanin) o" Secion 27, .%le 13:, .%le$ o" Co%r