RULE 139-B DISBARMENT AND DISCIPLINE OF ATTORNEYS
BAR MATTER N0. 1645 (RE: AMENDMENT OF RU RULE LE 139139-B B), !"# O$"%&#' 13, 015 *#'# *#'#!+, !+, Article VIII, Section 5(5) of the 1987 Constitution confers upon the Supreme Court the power to promul mulgate gate rules ules concer ncern ning ing the the amission to the practice of law! *#'#!+, "he Supreme Court#s power relating to the amission to the practice of law inherentl$ inclues the power power to is isci cipli pline ne an an remo% remo%e e from from the rolls, law$ers who ha%e trans transgr gress esse e their their oath oath an %iolat %iolate e the Coe of &rofessional 'esponsiilit$! *#'#!+, ismissal of complaints *le again ainst law law$er $ers is a pow power of the the Supreme Court that cannot e elegate to the Integrate +ar of the &hilippines! *#'#!+, the moti%e of the complainant an his or her acti action oni ina nact ctio ion n afte afterr the the *lin *ling g of a %eri*e complaint against a law$er are not essential to the proceeings! -ow, therefore, Sections 1, 5, 1., 1/, an 15 of 'ule 1/90+ of the 'ules of Court are amene to rea as follows
S#$"% 1. How How Inst Instit itut uted ed!! 2 &rocee oceei in ngs for the the is isarme arment nt,, suspens sus pension, ion, or iscipli iscipline ne of attorne$s attorne$s ma$ e ta3en $ the Supreme Court motu propio, propio, or $ the Integrate +ar of the the &hi &hilip lippin pines es (I+&) (I+&) upon upon the %eri*e complaint of an$ person! "he comp compla laiint shall hall state tate clearl earl$ $ an concisel$ the facts complaine of an shal sh alll e su supp ppor orte te $ a4a a4a%i %its ts of persons ha%ing personal 3nowlege of the facts therein allege anor $ such ocume ocuments nts as ma$ susta sustanti ntiate ate sai sai facts!
S#$"% 1. %/ I+"""#. 0 &rocee ocee ings ings for the is isarme arment nt,, suspens sus pension, ion, or iscipli iscipline ne of attorne$s attorne$s ma$ e ta3en ta3en $ the Supreme Supreme Court Court motu motu prop propio io,, or upon upon the the *lin *ling g of a %eri*e complaint of an$ person efore the the Supr Supreme eme Court Court or the Integr Integrate ate +ar of the &hilippines (I+&)! "he compla mplaiint shal hall state tate clea learl$ an concisel$ the facts complaine of an shal sh alll e su supp ppor orte te $ a4a a4a%i %its ts of persons ha%ing personal 3nowlege of the facts therein allege anor $ such ocum ocument ents s as ma$ susta sustanti ntiate ate sai sai facts!
"he I+& shall forwar to the Supreme Court for appro appropri priate ate ispo isposit sition ion all "he I+& +oar of o%ernors ma$, motu Court propio or propio or upon referral $ the Supreme complaints for isarment, suspension
Court or $ a Chapter +oar of 64cers, an iscipline *le against incument or at the instance of an$ person, ustices of the Court of Appeals, initiate an prosecute proper charges Sanigana$an, Court of "a Appeals an :uges of lower courts, or against against erring attorne$s incluing those law$ers in the go%ernment ser%ice, in the go%ernment ser%ice! whether or not the$ are charge singl$ or :ointl$ with other responents, an Si () copies of the %eri*e complaint whether or not such complaint eals shall e *le with the Secretar$ of the with acts unrelate to the ischarge of I+& or the Secretar$ of an$ of its their o4cial functions! If the complaint chapter who shall forthwith transmit is *le efore the I+&, si ( ) copies of the %eri*e complaint shall e *le the same to the I+& +oar of o%ernors with the Secretar$ of the I+& or the for assignment to an in%estigator! Secretar$ of an$ of its chapter who shall forthwith transmit the same to the I+& +oar of o%ernors for assignment to an in%estigator!; S#$"% 5. Service or dismissal! 2 If the complaint appears to e meritorious, the In%estigator shall irect that a cop$ thereof e ser%e upon the responent, re
S#$"% 5. S#'$# %' +2++!. - If the complaint appears to e meritorious, the In%estigator shall irect that a cop$ thereof e ser%e upon the responent, re
-o in%estigation shall e interrupte or terminate $ reason of the esistance, settlement, compromise, restitution, withrawal of the charges, or failure of the complainant to prosecute the same,unless (Amenment pursuant to Supreme Court the Supreme Court motu propio or upon 'esolution ate =a$ .7, 199/ re +ar recommendation of the IBP Board of =atter -o! /5) Governors, determines that there is no compelling reason to continue with the disbarment or suspension proceedings against the respondent ! (Amenment
pursuant to Supreme Court 'esolution ate =a$ .7, 199/ re +ar =atter /5)!
S#$"% 1. 'e%iew an ecision $ the +oar of o%ernors!
S#$"% 1. R##/ ! '#$%22#!"% & "*# B%!' % %#'%'+.
a) >%er$ case hear $ an a) >%er$ case hear $ an in%estigator in%estigator shall e re%iewe $ shall e re%iewe $ the I+& +oar of the I+& +oar of o%ernors upon o%ernors upon the recor an the recor an e%ience e%ience transmitte to it $ the transmitte to it $ the In%estigator with his report! In%estigator with his report! "he ecision of the +oar upon such ) After its re%iew, the +oar, $ the %ote of a ma:orit$ of its total re%iew shall e in writing an memership, shall recommen to the shall clearl$ an istinctl$ state Supreme Court the ismissal of the the facts an the reasons on complaint or the imposition of which it is ase! It shall e isciplinar$ action against the promulgate within a perio not responent! eceeing thirt$ (/?) a$s from the net meeting of the +oar "he +oar shall issue a resolution setting forth its *nings an following the sumittal of the recommenations, clearl$ an In%estigator#s 'eport! istinctl$ stating the facts an the reasons on which it is ase! ) If the +oar, $ the %ote of a ma:orit$ of its total memership, "he resolution shall e issue within a etermines that the responent perio not eceeing thirt$ (/?) a$s shoul e suspene from the from the net meeting of the +oar following the sumission of the practice of law or isarre, it In%estigator#s report! shall issue a resolution setting forth its *nings an c) "he +oar#s resolution, together with recommenations which,
together with the whole recor of the case, shall forthwith e transmitte to the Supreme Court for *nal action!
the entire recors an all e%ience presente an sumitte, shall e transmitte to the Supreme Court for *nal action within ten (1?) a$s from issuance of the resolution!
c) If the responent is eonerate $ the +oar or the isciplinar$ sanction impose $ it is less than suspension or isarment (such as amonition, repriman, or *ne) it shall issue a ecision eonerating responent or imposing such sanction! "he case shall e eeme terminate unless upon petition of the complainant or other intereste part$ *le with the Supreme Court within *fteen (15) a$s from notice of the +oar#s resolution, the Supreme Court orers otherwise!
) -otice of the resolution of the +oar shall e gi%en to all parties through their counsel, if an$!;
) -otice of the resolution or ecision of the +oar shall e gi%en to all parties through their counsel! A cop$ of the same shall e transmitte to the Supreme Court!
S#$"% 13. Supreme Court Investigation! 2 In proceeings initiate motu propio $ the Supreme Court or in other proceeings when the interest of :ustice so re
S#$"% 13. I#+"7!"% % $%28!"+. - In proceeings initiate $ the Supreme Court, or in other proceeings when the interest of :ustice so re
S#$"% 15. Suspension of attorney by Supreme Court ! 2 After receipt of responent#s answer or lapse of the perio therefor, the Supreme Court, motu propio, or at the instance of the I+& +oar of o%ernors upon the recommenation of the In%estigator, ma$ suspen an attorne$ from the practice of his profession for an$ of the causes speci*e in 'ule 1/8, Section .7, uring the penenc$ of the in%estigation until such suspension is "he amenments shall ta3e e@ect lifte $ the Supreme Court! *fteen (15) a$s after pulication in a newspaper of general circulation! "he Integrate +ar of the &hilippines is orere to re%ise its rules of proceure in accorance with the amenments to 'ule 1/90+!
