#18: Leslie Ui vs. Atty.

Iris Bonifacio Facts:

AC#3319 June 8, 2000

Leslie Ui and Carlos Ui were married on January 1971. On June 1988, Leslie confronted the respondent Atty. Iris Bonifacio for the illicit affair . Respondent admitted the relationship and said that she will cut off the said relationship. On December 1988 Carlos and Iris had a second child. On March 1989 complainant pleaded to respondent to stop their illicit relationship. On Atty Iris side, she asserts that she had no knowledge of Carlos previous marriage. Carlos Ui was the one who represented himself as single during their courtship. She submitted her Certificate of marriage dated Oct. 1985 to court. Upon the courts investigation it was found out that the marriage was in fact on Oct 1987.

In the case at bar, it is the claim of respondent Atty. Bonifacio that when she met Carlos Ui, she knew and believed him to be single. Respondent fell in love with him and they got married and as a result of such marriage, she gave birth to two (2) children. Upon her knowledge of the true civil status of Carlos Ui, she left him
Issue: Whether or not Atty Iris Bonifacio is guilty of gross immoral conduct as a ground for disbarment Ruling: RESOLVED to ADOPT and APPROVE, as it is hereby ADOPTED and APPROVED, the Report and Recommendation of the Investigating Commissioner in the aboveentitled case, herein made part of this Resolution/Decision as Annex "A", and, finding the recommendation fully supported by the evidence on record and the applicable laws and rules, the complaint for Gross Immorality against Respondent is DISMISSED for lack of merit. Atty. Iris Bonifacio is REPRIMANDED for knowingly and willfully attaching to her Answer a falsified Certificate of Marriage with a stern warning that a repetition of the same will merit a more severe penalty.