Re:
2003 Bar Examinations, Atty. Daniel de Guzman, B.M. No. 1722, 1 722, Aril Aril 2!, 200" #n 22 $etem%er 2003, t&e day 'ollo(in) t&e %ar examination in Mer*antile +a(, usti*e ose -. itu), -&airman o' t&e 2003 Bar Examinations -ommittee, (as arised o' a rumored lea/a)e in t&e examination on t&e su%e*t. it& t&is, t&e *ourt de*ided to nulli'y mer*antile la( examination and &old anot&er examination in la*e o' t&is. o(eer, etitions (ere 'iled %e*ause o' t&e emotional, &ysi*al and 'inan*ial %urden to t&e %arristers. 4&e etitions (ere )ranted and t&e *ourt de*ided to ust sread t&e er*enta)e o' t&e mer*antile la( exam to t&e remainin) 7 %ar su%e*ts. 4&e *ourt aointed 3 retired usti*es into a -ommittee to inesti)ate t&e lea/a)e issue. 4&e 5nesti)atin) -ommittee (as tas/ed to determine and identi'y t&e sour*e o' lea/a)e, t&e arties resonsi%le t&ere'or or (&o mi)&t &ae %ene'ited t&ere'rom, re*ommend san*tions a)ainst all t&ose 'ound to &ae %een resonsi%le 'or, or (&o (ould &ae %ene'ited 'rom, t&e in*ident in 6uestion and to re*ommend measures to t&e -ourt to sa'e)uard t&e inte)rity o' t&e %ar examinations. -e*ilia -ar%aosa, a %ar examinee 'ound t&e lea/a)e (&en s&e o%tained a *oy o' t&e lea/ed 6uestions and 'ound t&at t&ey (ere ery similar to t&e 6uestions in t&e %ar exam. on meetin) (it& t&e inesti)ators, s&e roided a xerox o' t&e lea/ed 6uestions. 4&e *oy (as deliered to usti*e itu), &e 'ound t&at 829 'rom examiner Atty. Bal)os (as in*luded in t&e lea/a)e. e also re*eied reorts t&at Atty. Danilo de Guzman (as t&e sour*e s our*e o' t&e lea/a)e, as &e 'axed t&e 6uestions to &is 'raternity %rot&er, onan Graida 'our days %e'ore t&e %ar exams. Atty. Atty. Bal)os, Bal)os, 71 years old, old, does not /no( &o( to use *omuter *omuter ex*et to tye. is se*retary -&eryl ;alma 'ormatted t&e test, rinted it and (as also t&e /eeer t&e Bal)os< *omuter ass(ord. Bal)os didn
/no( &is *omuter (as lin/ed to 1= *omuters o' &is emloyees. Bal)os interro)ated $ilestre Atienza, (&o inter*onne*ted t&e *omuters in t&e o''i*e. e, li/e Atty. De Guzman, is a mem%er o' t&e Beta si)ma +am%da 'raternity. 5t (as roen t&at Bal)os indeed reared t&e 6uestions and t&at t&ey *ame 'rom &is *omuter. is le)al assistant, Atty. De Guzman, a*tually admitted do(nloadin) t&e 6uestions and 'axin) t&em to &is 'rat %rot&ers Garida, Arlan, and Er(in 4an. Garida t&en 'axed it to &is %rot&ers in M+> ?5ni)o and Bu)ain@, (&o t&en assed *oies to anot&er, and most illustrious %rot&er, onald -ollado (&o t&en sread it to t&e M+> %rot&ers o' t&e 'raternity. 4&e 'ollo(in) (ere alle)ed, (it& t&e re*ommendation o' De Guzman
iolatie o' ule 1.01 o' -anon 1, as (ell as -anon 7 o' t&e -ode o' ;ro'essional esonsi%ility 'or mem%ers o' t&e Bar, (&i*& roide: De Guzman (as )uilty o' )rae mis*ondu*t un%e*omin) a mem%er o' t&e Bar. e iolated t&e la( instead o' romotin) rese*t 'or it and de)raded t&e no%le ro'ession o' la( instead o' u&oldin) its di)nity and inte)rity. is a*tuations imaired u%li* rese*t 'or t&e -ourt, and dama)ed t&e inte)rity o' t&e %ar examinations as t&e 'inal m easure o' a la( )raduate
1. $&ould De Guzman %e dis%arredF YES 2. 5s De Guzman t&e only one lia%le 'or t&e lea/a)eF
NO
Held:
?e*ommendations o' t&e -ourt@ 1. Atty. De Guzman s&ould %e dis%arred and s&ould (rite a u%li* aolo)y, as (ell as ay dama)es to t&e $ureme -ourt. 2. Atty. Bal)os s&ould %e rerimanded and also made to issue a (ritten aolo)y and 4E 5NE$45GA45#N o' Danilo De Guzman, -&eryl ;alma, $ilestre Atienza, onan Garida, Arlan, Er(in 4an, andy 5Hi)o, ames Bu)ain, onald -ollado and Allan Guiaal %y t&e National Bureau o' 5nesti)ation and t&e ;&iliine National ;oli*e, (it& a ie( to t&eir *riminal rose*ution as ro%a%le *oI*onsirators in t&e t&e't and lea/a)e o' t&e test 6uestions in mer*antile la(.
