Case Digest (Adm. Case No. 8383)
Facts:
- Amparo Bueno filed a disbarment complaint against Atty. Ramon A. RaAeses on March 3, 1993, with the IBP-CBD.
- Bueno engaged Atty. RaAeses for Civil Case No. 777, paying a retainer fee of P3,000.00 and P300.00 for each hearing.
- She alleged that Atty. RaAeses was often absent or late for hearings.
- On November 14, 1988, he solicited P10,000.00 from her, claiming it was for a bribe to Judge Nidea for a favorable case outcome.
- In December 1988, he requested an additional P5,000.00, which Bueno raised by selling her belongings.
- Atty. RaAeses failed to comply with court directives, resulting in an adverse decision against Bueno.
- Bueno confronted him and learned he had received the decision on December 3, 1990, but did not inform her.
- In June 1991, he solicited another P5,000.00 to bribe Justice Buena of the Court of Appeals.
- Atty. RaAeses did not respond to the complaint or attend multiple IBP hearings.
- The case was submitted for resolution without his participation.
- Commissioner Rico A. Limpingco recommended disbarment for soliciting bribes but found insufficient evidence for negligence.
- The IBP Board of Governors approved disbarment but reduced the penalty to indefinite suspension.
- The case was escalated to the Supreme Court for final resolution.
Issue:
- (Unlock)
Ruling:
- The Supreme Court found Atty. RaAeses guilty of soliciting money to bribe a judge and disbarred him from practicing law.
- The Court upheld the IBP's finding that Atty. RaAeses was ...(Unlock)
Ratio:
- The Supreme Court disbarred Atty. RaAeses due to the serious nature of his misconduct, which included soliciting bribes, undermining the integrity of the legal profession and judiciary.
- The Court noted that soliciting bribes is inherently secretive, and Bueno's consistent testimony was credible despite the lack of documentary evidence.
- Atty. RaAeses's failure to respond to the complaint and his absence during hearings showed a disregard for the disciplinary proce...continue reading
Case Digest (Adm. Case No. 8383)
Facts:
The case involves Amparo Bueno as the complainant and Atty. Ramon A. RaAeses as the respondent. The complaint for disbarment was filed on March 3, 1993, with the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Commission on Bar Discipline (IBP-CBD). The complaint arose from Atty. RaAeses's representation of Bueno in Civil Case No. 777, for which she paid him a retainer fee of P3,000.00 and an additional P300.00 for each hearing attended. Bueno alleged that Atty. RaAeses was frequently absent or late for hearings. On November 14, 1988, he allegedly solicited P10,000.00 from her, claiming it was to be divided with Judge Nidea to ensure a favorable outcome in her case. In December 1988, he requested an additional P5,000.00, which Bueno raised by selling her belongings.
Bueno later discovered that Atty. RaAeses failed to comply with court directives, leading to an adverse decision against her. She confronted him about this, only to find that he had received the decision on December 3, 1990, but had concealed this information from her. Furthermore, in June 1991, Atty. RaAeses allegedly solicited another P5,000.00 from Bueno to bribe Justice Buena of the Court of Appeals. Atty. RaAeses did not file an answer to the complaint and failed to attend multiple hearings scheduled by the IBP. The case was eventually submitted for resolution without his participation.
Commissioner Rico A. Limpingco conducted an in...