ENGR. GILBERT TUMBOKON vs. ATTY. MARIANO R. PEFIANCO A.C. No. 6116 | August August 1, 2012 By: Karen P. Lustica F!ts"
Complainant narrated that respondent undertook to give him 20% commission, later reduced to 0%, o! the attorney"s attorney"s !ees the latter #ould receive in representing representing $pouses ma&le and 'osalinda 'osalinda (ap )$ps. (ap*, (ap*, #hom he re!erred, re!erred, in an action !or partition o! the estate o! the late Ben+amin (ap. heir agreement #as re!lected in a letter. -o#ever, respo respond ndent ent !aile !ailed d to pay him the the agree agreed d commi commiss ssion ion not# not#ith ithst stand anding ing receip receiptt o! attorney"s !ees amounting to % o! the total estate or a&out P /0 million. nstead, he #as in!ormed through a letter that $ps. (ap assumed to pay the same a!ter respondent had agreed to reduce his attorney"s !ees !rom 21% to %. -e then demanded the payment o! his commission #hich respondent ignored. Compl Complain ainant ant !urthe !urtherr alleg alleged ed that that respo respond ndent ent has not lived lived up to the high high moral moral standar standards ds reuire reuired d o! his pro!ess pro!ession ion !or having having a&andone a&andoned d his legal legal #i!e, #i!e, 3ilagros 3ilagros -ilado, #ith #hom he has t#o children, and coha&ited #ith 3ae 4lor5alido, #ith #hom he has !our !our childr children en.. -e also also accu accuse sed d respo respond nden entt o! enga engagin ging g in money money6le 6lend ndin ing g &usiness #ithout the reuired authori7ation !rom the Bangko $entral ng Pilipinas. n his de!ense, respondent e8plained that he accepted $ps. (ap"s case on a 21% contingent contingent !ee &asis, and advanced all the e8penses. -e disputed the ugust ugust , 991 letter !or &eing a !orgery and claimed that $ps. (ap assumed to pay complainant"s commission #hich he clari!ied in his uly ;, 99 letter. -e, thus, prayed !or the dismissal o! the complaint and !or the corresponding sanction against complainant"s counsel, tty. 4lorencio B. 5on7ales, !or !iling a &aseless complaint.
Issu#" <=> the respondent should &e suspended
$#%&" (?$. Rt'o" T(# )*!t'!# o+ % 's !o-s'&#*#& )*'v'%#g# #sto#& / t(# tt# ot(os t(os# # (o (o s(o s(o t(t t(t t(#/ t(#/ )oss )oss#s #ss s -& -& !o-t !o-t''-u# -u# to )oss )oss#s #ss s t(# t(# %#g %#g%% u%'+'!t'o-s +o* t(# )*o+#ss'o-. As su!(, %/#*s *# #)#!t#& to 3'-t'- t %% t'3#s ('g( st-&*& o+ %#g% )*o+'!'#-!/, 3o*%'t/, (o-#st/, '-t#g*'t/ -& +'* &#%'-g, -& 3ust )#*+o*3 t(#'* +ou*4+o%& &ut/ to so!'#t/, t(# %#g% )*o+#ss'o-, t(# !ou*ts -& t(#'* !%'#-ts, '- !!o*&-!# 't( t(# v%u#s -& -o*3s #3o&'#& 't(# Co&#.
'espondent"s de!ense that !orgery had attended the e8ecution o! the ugust , 991 letter #as &elied &y his uly ;, 99 letter admitting to have undertaken the payment o! compl complain ainant ant"s "s commis commissio sion n &ut &ut pass passing ing on the the respo respons nsi&i i&ilit lity y to $ps. $ps. (ap. C%#*%/,
*#s)o-&#-t (s v'o%t#& Ru%# 5.02,12 C-o- 5 o+ t(# Co&# ('!( )*o(''ts %/#* +*o3 &'v'&'-g o* st')u%t'-g to &'v'&# +## +o* %#g% s#*v'!#s 't( )#*so-s -ot %'!#-s#& to )*!t'!# %, #!#)t '- !#*t'- !s#s ('!( &o -ot ot'- '- t(# !s# t *.
4urthermore, respondent did not deny the accusation that he a&andoned his legal !amily to coha&it #ith his mistress #ith #hom he &egot !our children not#ithstanding that his moral character as #ell as his moral !itness to &e retained in the 'oll o! ttorneys has &een assailed. T(# s#tt%#& *u%# 's t(t #t*/% o+ t(# 3*'t% vo o+ +'&#%'t/ o* s#u% *#%t'o-s outs'&# 3**'g# 's !o-s'&#*#& &'sg*!#+u% -& '33o*% s 't 3-'+#sts &#%'#*t# &'s*#g*& o+ t(# s-!t't/ o+ 3**'g# -& t(# 3*'t% vos )*ot#!t#& / t(# Co-st'tut'o- -& ++'*3#& / ou* %s. Co-s#u#-t%/, # +'-& -o *#so- to &'stu* t(# IBP7s +'-&'-g t(t *#s)o-&#-t v'o%t#& t(# L/#*7s Ot(18 -& Ru%# 1.01, C-o- 1 o+ t(# Co&# ('!( )*os!*'#s %/#* +*o3 #-gg'-g '9u-%+u%, &'s(o-#st, '33o*% o* &#!#'t+u% !o-&u!t. @ -o#ever, = '. P?4>C= is !ound 5L( o! violation o! the La#yers =ath, 'ule .0, Canon o! the Code o! Pro!essional 'esponsi&ility and 'ule 9.02, Canon 9 o! the same Code and $$P?>D?D !rom the active practice o! la# =>? )* (?' e!!ective upon notice hereo!.
