roces vs aportadera

This case arose from the purported sale of a parcel of land located in Dingle,
Iloilo by the late, Isabel Roces to a certain Gregorio Licauan, as evidenced by
a Deed of Sale, which was notarized by respondent Atty. Jose C. Aportadera.
On September 30 , 1986, a verified Complaint for Disbarment was flied with
this Court against respondent alleging, inter alia, that he caused the
execution of the Deed of Sale and made it appear that Isabel had participated
therein by forging her signature thereon, and notarizing it through the use of
a fictitious Residence Certificate. Complainant's averments were supported
the findings of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI),in a report, dated
April 1, 1986, where it was found that: (1) respondent admitted he notarized
the deed although it was not signed by Isabel Roces in his presence, and
although he knew she was hospitalized at that time; (2) handwriting
examinations showed that the signature of Isabel Roces appearing in the
deed is a forgery; (3) when the deed was notarized in Iloilo on January 4,
1980, Isabel Roces was confined at. the Hospital de San Juan de Dios in Pasay
City, and could not have personally appeared before respondent in Iloilo City:
and (4) Residence Certificate No. A-9079133, listed in the subscription portion
of the Deed of Sale as that presented by Isabel Roces to respondent at that
time of notarization, was fictitious as it was issued on February 1, 1980, at
which time Isabel Roces had already passed away.

In Re: Basa
41 Phil 275
FACTS: Carlos Basa is a young lawyer convicted of the crime of abduction
with consent. He was sentenced to two years, eleven months, and eleven
days of imprisonment. The Solicitor General asked for Basas disbarment
based on his commission of a crime involving moral turpitude.
ISSUE: Whether or not the crime abduction with consent involves moral
turpitude.
HELD: Yes. Crimes of this character do involve moral turpitude. The inherent
nature of the act is such that it is against good morals and the accepted rule
of right conduct. Moral turpitude includes everything which is done contrary
to justice, honesty, modesty, or good morals. Basa was declared to be
suspended for one year immediately after he finished serving his sentence.

royon / alfonso at ethics diest compiled

Josefina Mortel vs Anacleto Aspiras
100 Phil 586 Legal Ethics Lawyer may be disbarred even if transgression is
not one enumerated by law

In 1952, Atty. Anacleto Aspiras introduced himself as a single man to Mortel.

The latter believed it and he let Anacleto court her. Anacleto, with flowery
words, promised to marry Mortel. With this promise, Mortel agreed to have
carnal knowledge with him. Later, Anacleto persuaded Mortel to go to Manila
so that they could marry there. Mortel complied. However, Anacleto did not
secure the marriage license with Mortel, instead he let Cesar Aspiras, whom
he introduced to Mortel as his nephew, secure it with Mortel. Further, in the
marriage ceremony, Anacleto made Mortel believe that Cesar will be his
proxy in the wedding. So it happened that Mortel married Cesar who turned
out to be Anacletos son, worse, Cesar was a minor. Worst still, after Cesars
and Mortels marriage, Anacleto continued to cohabit and have carnal
knowledge with Mortel until the latter got pregnant, and until the latter found
out that Anacleto is married and he has a son, Cesar.
ISSUE: Whether or not Anacleto should be disbarred.
HELD: Yes. Though it may be said that Anacletos moral transgression did not
amount to crime nor is it one of those enumerated by statute still his moral
delinquency as proved by the facts as aggravated by his mockery of marriage
which is an inviolable social institution and his corruption of his minor son to
marry Mortel just so he could redeem his promise of marriage to Mortel all
these concur to Anacleto being unfit to continue being a member of the legal
profession. The Supreme Court ordered his disbarment.

barrientos vs daarol
218 scra 30
29 January 1993
FACTS:
Complainant, Victoria Barrientos, is single, a college student, and was about
20 years and 7 months old during the time (July-October 1975) of her
relationship with respondent, while respondent Transfiguracion Daarol is
married, General Manager of Zamboanga del Norte Electric Cooperative, and
41 years old at the time of the said relationship.
Respondent is married to Romualda A. Sumaylo with whom be has a son; that
the marriage ceremony was solemnized on September 24, 1955 at Liloy,
Zamboanga del Norte by a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Anacleto Pellamo, and that
said respondent had been separated from his wife for about 16 years at the
time of his relationship with complainant.
Respondent had been known by the Barrientos family for quite sometime,
having been a former student of complainant's father in 1952 and, a former
classmate of complainant's mother at the Andres Bonifacio College in Dipolog
City; that he became acquainted with complainant's sister, Norma in 1963
and eventually with her other sisters, Baby and Delia and, her brother, Boy,

as he used to visit Norma at her residence; that he also befriended

complainant and who became a close friend when he invited her, with her
parents' consent, to be one of the usherettes during the Masonic Convention
in Sicayab, Dipolog City from June 28 to 30, 1973, and he used to fetch her at
her residence in the morning and took her home from the convention site
after each day's activities.
Respondent courted complainant, and after a week of courtship, complainant
accepted respondent's love on July 7, 1973; that in the evening of August 20,
1973, complainant with her parents' permission was respondent's partner
during the Chamber of Commerce affair at the Lopez Skyroom in the Dipolog
City, and at about 10:00 o'clock that evening, they left the place but before
going home, they went to the airport at Sicayab, Dipolog City and parked the
jeep at the beach, where there were no houses around; that after the usual
preliminaries, they consummated the sexual act and at about midnight they
went home; that after the first sexual act, respondent used to have joy ride
with complainant which usually ended at the airport where they used to make
love twice or three times a week; that as a result of her intimate relations,
complainant became pregnant.
That after a conference among respondent, complainant and complainant's
parents, it was agreed that complainant would deliver her child in Manila,
where she went with her mother on October 22, 1973 by boat, arriving in
Manila on the 25th and, stayed with her brother-in-law Ernesto Serrano in
Singalong, Manila; that respondent visited her there on the 26th, 27th and
28th of October 1973, and again in February and March 1974; that later on
complainant decided to deliver the child in Cebu City in order to be nearer to
Dipolog City, and she went there in April 1974 and her sister took her to the
Good Shepherd Convent at Banawa Hill, Cebu City; that on June 14, 1974, she
delivered a baby girl at the Perpetual Succor Hospital in Cebu City and,
named her "Dureza Barrientos"; that about the last week of June 1974 she
went home to Dipolog City; that during her stay here in Manila and later in
Cebu City, the respondent defrayed some of her expenses; that she filed an
administrative case against respondent with the National Electrification
Administration; which complaint, however, was dismissed; and then she
instituted the present disbarment proceedings against respondent.
In view of the foregoing, the undersigned respectfully recommend that after
hearing, respondent Transfiguracion Daarol be disbarred as a lawyer.
ISSUE: Whether or not respondent Daarol is grossly immoral.
HELD:
Here, respondent, already a married man and about 41 years old, proposed
love and marriage to complainant, then still a 20-year-old minor, knowing
that he did not have the required legal capacity. Respondent then succeeded
in having carnal relations with complainant by deception, made her pregnant,
suggested abortion, breached his promise to marry her, and then deserted
her and the child. Respondent is therefore guilty of deceit and grossly
immoral conduct.

By his acts of deceit and immoral tendencies to appease his sexual desires,
respondent Daarol has amply demonstrated his moral delinquency. Hence, his
removal for conduct unbecoming a member of the Bar on the grounds of
deceit and grossly immoral conduct is in order. Good moral conduct is a
condition which precedes admission to the Bar and is not dispensed with
upon admission there. It is a continuing qualification to which all lawyers
must possess. Otherwise, a lawyer may be suspended or disbarred.