A.C. No. 6788 (Formerly, CBD 382)
August 23, 2007
DIANA RAMO, Complainant, RAMO, Complainant, vs. A!!". #O$ R. IMBAN%, Respondent. IMBAN%, Respondent. COM&'AIN! In 1992, the complainant sought the assistance of respondent in filing civil and criminal actions against the spouses Jovellanos. She gave respondent P8,!! as attorne"#s fees $ut the latter issued a receipt for P,!!! onl". %he complainant tried to attend the scheduled hearings of her cases against the Jovellanos. &ddl", respondent never allo'ed her to enter the courtroom and al'a"s told her to 'ait outside. (e 'ould then come out after several hours to inform her that the hearing had $een cancelled and rescheduled. %his happened si) times and for each each *appearance* in court, respondent respondent charged her P+!. fter si) consecutive postponements, the complainant $ecame $ecame suspicious. She personall" in-uired a$out the status of her cases in the trial courts of i/an and San Pedro, 0aguna. She 'as shoced to learn that respondent never filed an" case against the Jovellanoses and that h e 'as in fact emplo"ed in the Pu$lic ttorne"#s &ffice P&3. R$&OND$N! D$F$N$ •
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Complainant ne' that he 'as in the government service from the ver" start. (e advised complainant to consult tt". 4ngson. tt". tt". 4ngson, ho'ever, did not accept the complainant#s case as she 'as una$le to come up 'ith the acceptance fee agreed upon. fraid that she *might spend* the cash on hand, the the complainant ased respondent to eep the P,!!! 'hile she raised the $alance of tt". tt". 4ngson#s acceptance fee. Complainant 'as the one 'ho re-uested for respondent to issue an antedated receipt.
C R*'IN% tt". Jose R. Im$ang is here$" DIBARR$D from DIBARR$D from the practice of la' and his name is or+ere+ str-e/ from str-e/ from the Roll of ttorne"s. (e is also ordered to return to complainant the amount of P,!!! 'ith interest at the legal rate reconed from 199. 0a'"ers are e)pected to conduct themselves 'ith honest" and integrit". 5ore specificall", specificall", la'"ers in government service are e)pected to $e more conscientious of their actuations as the" are su$6ect to pu$lic scrutin". %he" are not onl" mem$ers of the $ar $ut also pu$lic servants 'ho o'e utmost fidelit" to pu$lic service. 7overnment emplo"ees are e)pected to devote themselves completel" to pu$lic service. %hus, la'"ers in government service cannot handle private cases for the" are e)pected to devote themselves fulltime to the 'or of their respective offices. Respondent#s admission that he
accepted mone" from the complainant and the receipt confirmed the presence of an attorne"client relationship $et'een him and the complainant.3 Respondent#s conduct in office fell short of the integrit" and good moral character re-uired of all la'"ers, speciall" one occup"ing a pu$lic office. 0a'"ers in pu$lic office are e)pected not onl" to refrain from an" act or omission 'hich tend to lessen the trust and confidence of the citienr" in government $ut also uphold the dignit" of the legal profession at all times and o$serve a high standard of honest" and fair dealing. government la'"er is a eeper of pu$lic faith and is $urdened 'ith a high degree of social responsi$ilit", higher than his $rethren in private practice
