7/11/2015 G.R.No.114829

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TodayisSaturday,July11,2015

RepublicofthePhilippinesSUPREMECOURT

Manila

FIRSTDIVISION

G.R.No.114829March1,1995

MAXIMINOGAMIDOYBUENAVENTURA,petitioner,vs.NEWBILIBIDPRISONS(NBP)OFFICIALS,respondents.

DAVIDE,JR.,J.:

IntheResolutionof7September1994,werequiredAtty.IcasianoM.delaReaofNo.42NationalRoadcornerBruger Subdivision, Putatan, Muntinglupa, Metro Manila, to show cause why no disciplinary action should betakenagainsthimformaking itappear in the juratof thepetition in thiscase that thepetitionersubscribed theverificationandsworetobeforehim,asnotarypublic,on19April1994,whenintruthandinfactthepetitionerdidnot.

InhisExplanationof23December1994whichwasreceivedbythisCourton25January1995,Atty.IcasianoM.delaReaadmittedhavingexecutedthejuratwithoutthepresenceofpetitionerGamido.Healleges:

Firstly, Imusthonestlyadmit that Inotarized itnot inhispresence. Idid it in thehonestbelief thatsinceitisjuratandnotanacknowledgement,itwouldbealrights[sic]todosoconsideringthatpriorto April 19, 1994 and thereafter, I knowMr.Gamido since I have been in and out of NewBilibidPrisons,notonlybecausemyofficeishereonlyacrosstheMunicipalBuildingofMuntinlupa,MetroManilabutbecauseIhandledanumberofcasesinvolvingprisonersandguardsofNBPaswellassomeofitspersonnels[sic].Thatinfact,IattemptedtohavethedocumentpersonallysignedbyhimbutconsideringthatIhavetostrictlyobserverulesandregulationsoftheNBP,particularlyonvisit,Ididnotpursueanymoremyintentiontohaveitnotarizedbeforeme.

Secondly, that innotarizing thedocument, Ihonestly feelandbyheartand ingood faith, thatasanotarypublicandasapracticinglawyer,Icouldmodestlycontributeintheorderlyadministrationofjustice. The Gamido family use to come in the office and in fact hiring the legal services of theundersigned but I refused to handle since I am already preoccupied in other cases of similarimportance.ThatonDecember13,1994IreceivealetterfromMr.Gamido,lastparagraphofwhichisreadasfollows:

SanaypoAtty. aymaawakayosaakinnanagdudusanangwalangkasalanan.Alangalang po sa kaawa awa kong familiya, kailangan ang aking kalinga.Ang tulong ninyoangsiyangdaanupangakoaymakaalissapagpapahirapnangmgataongwalangpusoatkaluluwa,walangawasakapwa,atsasambayanangPilipino.

ThenheapologizestotheCourtandassuresitthathenceforthhewouldbemorecarefulandcircumspect:

That IamprayingforanapologytotheHon.SupremeCourt ifwhat IdidwaswrongandtheHon.SupremeCourt isassured thatperhapswhat transpiredwasawrong judgmentorhonestmistake.That theHon.Chairmanand itsHon.Membersareassured thatwhen I signed thepetitionnot inGamido'spresenceitisneverintendedtodoawrong,tocommitillegalorcriminalactsbutmerelyinthehonestandsincerebeliefthatit isvalidandlegal.TheHon.SupremeCourtisassuredthatit isneverintendedformaliceorformoney.

ThisHon.ChairmananditsHon.Membersarefurtherassuredthatfromhereon,Iammorecarefuland circumspect in the exercise of this noble and grand profession and that no amount or

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considerationwillswayorchangethisconviction.Thisismylife.Thisisthelifeofmyfamily.

Atty.delaRea'sexplanationisunsatisfactoryhowever,hisspontaneousvoluntaryadmissionmaybeconsideredinmitigationofhisliability.

Asanotarypublic fora long time,asevidencedby the fact thathisquestioned jurat is indicated tohavebeenenteredinBook45ofhisnotarialregister,heshouldknowthesimilaritiesanddifferencesbetweenajuratandanacknowledgement.

Ajuratwhichis,normallyinthisform:

Subscribedandsworn tobeforeme in_______________, this____dayof____________,affianthavingexhibitedtomehisCommunity(before,Residence)TaxCertificateNo.____________issuedat______________on____________.

"isthatpartofanaffidavitinwhichtheofficercertifiesthattheinstrumentwassworntobeforehim(Theobaldvs.ChicagoRy.Co.,75Ill.App.208).Itisnotapartofapleadingbutmerelyevidencesthefactthattheaffidavitwasproperlymade (Young vs.Wooden, 265 SW 24, 204 Ky. 694)." (LORENZOM. TAADA and FRANCISCOA.RODRIGO,ModernLegalForms, vol. I, sixth ed., 1985 printing, 31). The jurat in the petition in the case alsobeginswiththewords"subscribedandsworntome."

Tosubscribe literallymeanstowriteunderneath,asone'snametosignattheendofadocument(Black'sLawDictionary,Fifthed.,1279).Toswearmeanstoputonoathtodeclareonoaththetruthofapleading,etc.(Id.,1298).Accordingly,ina jurat, theaffiantmustsignthedocument in thepresenceofandtakehisoathbeforeanotarypublicoranyotherpersonauthorizedtoadministeroaths.

Astoacknowledgment,Section1ofPublicActNo.2103provides:

(a)Theacknowledgementshallbemadebeforeanotarypublicoranofficerdulyauthorizedbylawof thecountry to takeacknowledgmentsof instrumentsordocuments in theplacewhere theact isdone. The notary public or the officer taking the acknowledgment shall certify that the personacknowledging the instrument or document is known to him and that he is the same personwhoexecutedit,andacknowledgedthatthesameishisfreeactanddeed.Thecertificateshallbemadeunderhisofficialseal,ifheisbylawrequiredtokeepaseal,andifnot,hiscertificateshallsostate.(SeeLorenzoM. Taada andFranciscoA.Rodrigo,ModernPhilippine Legal Forms, vol. II, 1964Fifthed.,735).

It is obvious that the party acknowledgingmust likewise appear before the notary public or any other personauthorizedtotakeacknowledgmentsofinstrumentsordocuments.

The claim or belief of Atty. dela Rea that the presence of petitioner Gamido was not necessary for the juratbecause it is not an acknowledgment is patently baseless. If this had been his belief since he was firstcommissionedasanotarypublic,thenhehasbeenmakingamockeryofthelegalsolemnityofanoathina jurat.Notariespublicandothersauthorizedbylawtoadministeroathsortotakeacknowledgmentsshouldnottakeforgranted the solemn duties appertaining to their offices. Such duties are dictated by public policy and areimpressedwithpublicinterest.

His prior acquaintance and friendship with petitioner Gamido provides no excuse for noncompliance with hisduty.IfAtty.delaReawerefaithfultohisdutyasanotarypublicandifhewantedtoaccommodateafriendwhowasinsideaprison,hecouldhavegonetothelatter'scellsinceheopenlyadmittedthathehas"beeninandoutofNewBilibidPrisons,notonlybecause[his]officeishereonlyacrosstheMunicipalBuildingofMuntinlupa,MetroManilabutbecause[he]handledanumberofcasesinvolvingprisonersandguardsofNBPaswellassomeofitspersonnels[sic]."

Administratively, as a lawyer commissioned as a notary public, Atty. Icasiano M. dela Rea committed gravemisconductwhenheagreedtopreparethejuratinthepetitioninthiscaseintheabsenceofpetitionerGamido,therebymakingitappearthatthelatterpersonallysignedthecertificationofthepetitionandtookhisoathbeforehimwhenintruthandinfactthesaidpetitionerdidnot.

WHEREFORE, for grave misconduct, ATTY. ICASIANO I. DELA REA is hereby FINED in the sum of FIVETHOUSAND PESOS (P5,000.00), without prejudice to criminal prosecution as may be warranted under thecircumstances.He isWARNEDthat thecommissionof thesameorsimilaracts in the futureshallbedealtwithmoreseverely.

SOORDERED.

Padilla,Bellosillo,QuiasonandKapunan,JJ.,concur.

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