A.C. No. 620 March 21, 1974 JOSE ALCALA and AVELINA IMPERIAL, p!"!"onr#, $#. %ONES&O 'E VERA, r#pondn!.
M()O* PALMA, J.+p FACTS:
In a c"$" c"$" ca# -or ann/n! o- a #a o- 2 o!# -"d on S/nch a3a"n#! Sp#. Acaa on !h 3rond !ha! on o- !h o!# canno! oca!d or d"d no! "#!, hr"n r#pondn! rpr#n!d #p#. Acaa. &r"a Cor! rndrd 5d3/n! r#c"nd"n3 !h con!rac! o- #a on !h 3rond !ha! S/nch a# no! a !o !a /a!r"a po####"on o- !h o! "n #!"on and !ha! "! ha# n occp"d on Rpr!o Ldo$"c and h"# ro!hr# -or a n/r oar# arad. On Apr" 19, 1968, r#pondn! A!!. d Vra rc"$d a cop o- !h dc"#"on ! h -a"d !o "n-or/ h"# c"n!# o- !h 5d3/n! a3a"n#! !h/. On J 17, 1968, a #hr"-- ca/ !o co/pa"nan!# ho# !o #r$ a r"! oc c! !"o "on" n"## ## d d "n #a"d #a"d ca# ca#.. &o &o!a !a ca3 ca3h! h! #rp #rpr" r"# #,, Jo# Jo# Aca Acaa a "//d"a! ro! !o !h !r"a cor! and "n"rd -or !h #!a!# o- ca# 247:. &h dp! Cr o- Cor!, "n h"# rp da!d J 22, 1968, "n-or/d Acaa !ha! !h ca# a# dc"dd on Apr" Apr" 17, 1968, !ha! a cop o- !h dc"#"on dc"#"on a# rc"$d rc"$d r#pondn! r#pondn! a!!orn on Apr" 19, 1968, and !ha! #"nc no appa a# !an, a r"! o- c!"on c!"on a# "##d !h !r"a cor! cor! on /o!"on /o!"on o- !h pa"n!"-- S/nch. #po## Acaa "n#!"!!d c"$" ca# 2728 -or da/a3# a3a"n#! A!!. %on#!o d Vra -or ha$"n3 -a"d !o "n-or/ !h/ o- !h dc"#"on "n ca# 247: a# a r#! o- h"ch !h o#! !h"r r"3h! !o appa -ro/ #a"d dc"#"on. &h cor! dn"d "! -or -a"r !o #ho !ha! !h "ndd #--rd da/a3#. Co/pa Co/ pa"na "nan!# n!# "n#!"! "n#!"!! !d d !h"# !h"# co/pa co/pa"n! "n! -or d"#ar/ d"#ar/n! n! a3a"n# a3a"n#!! !h"r !h"r -or/r con#. ISSUE:
;h!hr or no! d"#ar/n! "# propr.
HELD: For indifferenc indifference, e, loyalty and lack of interest interest of respondent respondent in handling complainant's defense.
&h $"dnc pro$"n3 "#!nc o- o! o--rd #p#. Acaa h"ch r#pondn! a3d -a"d !o pr#n! a# rndrd nnc##ar -or !h co//"##"onr appo"n!d arad rpor!d !ha! !h o! "#!d ! !h #a/ a# a# "n !h !h po## po### ##" #"on on o- o!h o!hr pr pr#on# #on#.. &h &h -ac -ac! !ha! !ha! !h pa" pa"n! n!""--, --,
S/nch, a# no! aardd an da/a3#, a!!orn# -#, and co#!# #ho# !ha! r#pondn! a!!orn r!d h"# !/o#! !o r#"#! pa"n!"--# co/pa"n!. For gross negligence and malpractice committed by respondent for failure to inform his clients of the decision in the civil case.
P!"!"onr# do no! appar !o ha$ #--rd an /a!r"a or pcn"ar da/a3 !h -a"r o- r#pondn! A!!. ' Vra !o no!"- !h/ o- !h dc"#"on "n C"$" Ca# No. 247: #"nc !h dc"#"on rndrd a# -a"r and 5#!"-"d. It is no less true, however, that in failing to inform his clients, the petitioners, of the decision in said civil case, respondent failed to exercise "such skill, care, and diligence as men of the legal profession commonly possess and exercise in such matters of professional employment <
&h corrc!n## o- !h dc"#"on "n !h c"$" ca# "# no 3rond -or onra!"n3 r#pondn! o- !h char3 ! a! /o#! " #r$ on !o /"!"3a! h"# "a""!. ;h" !hr "# no -"nd"n3 o- /a"c, dc"!, or d"ra! "n!n! !o ca# da/a3 !o h"# c"n!#, !hr "#, non!h##, proo- o- n3"3nc, "na!!n!"on, and car##n## on !h par! o- r#pondn! "n h"# -a"r !o 3"$ !"/ no!"c o- !h dc"#"on "n #!"on. =or!na! -or r#pondn!, h"# n3"3nc d"d no! r#! "n an /a!r"a or pcn"ar da/a3 !o !h hr"n co/pa"nan!# and -or !h"# ra#on ; ar no! d"#po#d !o "/po# pon h"/ ha! /a con#"drd "n a ar# carr a# !h !r/ pna! od"#ar/n!. &h d"#ar/n! o- an a!!orn "# no! "n!ndd a# a pn"#h/n!, ! "# ra!hr "n!ndd !o pro!c! !h ad/"n"#!ra!"on o- 5#!"c. Ac! o- r#pondn! /an"-#!# a ac o- !o!a dd"ca!"on or d$o!"on !o !h"r "n!r#! pc!d o- h"/ ndr h"# ar# oa!h and !h Canon# oPro-##"ona E!h"c#. R#pondn!# "nac!"on /r"!# a #$r cn#r -ro/ !h Cor!. GUILTY only of simple negligence in the performance of his !ties as a la"yer of complainants# an $e here%y SE&E'ELY CE(SU'E him
