Perez vs. Atty. Dela Torre
Facts and Complaint: In December 2001, several sspects !or !or mrder and "idnappin# !or ransom, amon# t$em %onny &oy Ilo and Die#o Avila, 'ere appre$ended and (ailed by t$e police at$orities. )espondent 'ent 'ent to t$e t$e mnici mnicipal pal bildi bildin# n# o! Calaba Calaban#a n#a '$ere '$ere Ilo and Avila 'ere 'ere bein# bein# detain detained ed and made representations t$at $e cold secre t$eir !reedom i! t$ey si#n t$e prepared e*tra(dicial con!essions. n"no'n to t$e t'o accsed, respondent 'as representin# t$e $eirs o! t$e mrder victim+ t$at on t$e stren#t$ o! t$e e*tra(dicial con!essions, cases 'ere !iled a#ainst t$em, incldin# $erein complainant '$o 'as implicated in t$e e*tra(dicial con!essions as t$e mastermind in t$e criminal activities !or '$ic$ t$ey 'ere bein# c$ar#ed. De!ense: )espondent denied t$e accsations a#ainst $im. e e*plained t$at '$ile bein# detained at t$e Calaban#a Calaban#a -nicipal -nicipal Police ail, Avila Avila so#$t so#$t $is assistanc assistancee in dra!tin# dra!tin# an e*tra(di e*tra(dicial cial con!essio con!ession n re#ardin# $is involvement in t$e crimes o! "idnappin# !or ransom, mrder and robbery. e advised Avila Avila to in!orm in!orm $is parent parentss abot abot $is decisi decision on to ma"e ma"e an e*tra( e*tra(di dicia ciall con!es con!essio sion, n, appris apprised ed $im o! $is constittional constittional ri#$ts and o! t$e possibility t$at $e mi#$t be tilized as a state/'itness. )espondent claimed t$at '$en Ilo so#$t $is assistance in e*ectin# $is e*tra(dicial con!ession, $e con!erred 'it$ Ilo in t$e presence o! $is parents+ and only a!ter $e 'as convinced t$at Ilo 'as not nder nde complsion did $e assist t$e accsed in e*ectin# t$e e*tra(dicial con!ession. )lin#: Atty. Dela Torre is sspended !or years. nder nder )le 1.0 o! t$e Code o! Pro!ession Pro!essional al )esponsib )esponsibility ility,, a la'yer la'yer s$all s$all not represent represent con!lictin# interests e*cept by 'ritten consent o! all concerned #iven a!ter a !ll disclosre o! t$e !acts. )espondent is t$ere!ore dty bond to re!rain !rom representin# t'o parties $avin# con!lictin# interests in a controversy. &y doin# precisely t$e !ore#oin#, !ore#oin#, and 'it$ot any proo! t$at $e secred t$e 'ritten consent o! bot$ parties a!ter e*plainin# to t$em t$e e*istin# con!lict o! interest, respondent s$old be sanctioned. T$e pro$ibition a#ainst representin# con!lictin# interest is !onded on principles o! pblic policy and #ood taste. In t$e corse o! a la'yer/client relations$ip, relations$ip, t$e la'yer learns all t$e !acts connected 'it$ t$e client3s case, incldin# t$e 'ea" and stron# points o! t$e case. T$e natre o! t$at relations$ip is, t$ere!ore, one o! trst and con!idence o! t$e $i#$est de#ree. It be$ooves la'yers not only to "eep inviolate t$e client3s con!idence, bt also to avoid t$e appearance o! impropriety and doble/dealin# !or only t$en can liti#ants be encora#ed to entrst t$eir secrets to t$eir la'yers, '$ic$ is o! paramont importance in t$e administration o! (stice. At t$e time respondent 'as representin# Avila and Ilo, t'o o! t$e accsed in t$e mrder o! t$e vict victim im )es )esrre rrecc ccio ion n &arr &arrio ios, s, $e 'as 'as repr repres esen enti tin# n# t$e t$e !amily !amily o! t$e t$e mrde mrderr vict victim im.. Clear Clearly ly,, $is representation o! opposin# clients in t$e mrder case invites sspicion o! doble/dealin# and in!idelity to $is clients. )espondent clients. )espondent assisted in t$e e*ection by t$e t'o accsed o! t$eir con!essions '$ereby t$ey admitted t$eir participation in varios serios criminal o!!enses "no'in# !lly 'ell t$at $e 'as retained previosly by t$e $eirs o! one o! t$e victims. )espondent, '$o presmably "no's t$e intricacies o! t$e
la', s$old $ave e*ercised $is better (d#ment be!ore concedin# to accsed3s c$oice o! consel. It did not cross $is mind to in$ibit $imsel! !rom actin# as t$eir consel and instead, $e even assisted t$em in e*ectin# t$e e*tra(dicial con!ession.
