InApril2012,therespondentreturnedtothecomplainanttheamountofseventeenthousandtwohundred

andeightypesos(P17,280.00),pursuanttoacompromiseagreement4thatthepartiesenteredintoin
exchangeforthedismissalofthecriminalcaseforestafafiledbythecomplainantagainsttherespondent.As
partofthesettlement,therespondentagreedtosecurethebirthcertificatesofthecomplainant'schildren,an
obligationwhichtherespondenthasnotyetfulfilleduptothepresent.

A.C.No.10187[FormerlyCBDCaseNo.113053],July22,2015
CELINAF.ANDRADA,Complainant,v.ATTY.RODRIGOCERA,Respondent.
DECISION

IBP'sRecommendation
BRION,J.:
Thisadministrativecasestemmedfromanaffidavitcomplaint1filedbyCelinaF.Andrada(complainant)
againstAtty.RodrigoCera(respondent)forallegedlyengaginginunlawful,dishonest,immoral,and
deceitfulconductinviolationoftheLawyer'sCodeofProfessionalResponsibility(CPR).
Antecedents
Sometimeinlate2009,thecomplainanthiredtherespondenttorepresentherinanannulmentofmarriage
casependingbeforetheRegionalTrialCourt(RTC),Branch59,BaguioCity.
Inordertofiletheannulmentcase,thecomplainantneededtosubmitNationalStatisticsOffice(NSO)copies
ofherchildren'sbirthcertificatesdocumentswhichcouldnotbeobtainedfromtheNSObecauseofher
husband'sfailuretocompletelyaccomplishthecertificatesresultinginthenonregistrationofthebirthsof
theirtwochildren,JulianeLourdesandJoseSebastian.Thecomplainantgavetherespondenttheamountof
threethousandpesos(P3,000.00)toprocesstheregistrationandissuanceofherchildren'sbirthcertificates
withtheNSO.Thecomplainantalsogavetherespondent,throughafriend,theamountoftenthousandpesos
(P10,000.00)asadvancepaymentforthehiringofapsychologistand/ortheconductofpsychologisttestsfor
herselfandherchildren.
InJuly2010whenthecomplainantherselffollowedupwiththeNSOthereleaseofherchildren'sbirth
certificatesshewasaskedtopresentthecorrespondingreceiptforherrequest.Knowingthattherespondent
hadthereceipt,thecomplainantcalledhimupbutshefailedtogeteventhereceiptnumberbecausethe
respondentallegedlydidnothaveitinhispossessionatthattime.However,therespondentreassuredthe
complainantthatthenecessarypaymenthadbeenmadefortheprocessingofthebirthcertificates.
ThecomplainantrepeatedlyaskedtherespondentfortheNSOreceipt,butthelatterwouldalwaysgivean
excusenottoturnthereceiptovertoher.Thispromptedthecomplainanttorequestconfirmationofpayment
fromtheNSO.Shefoundoutthattherespondentneverpaidnorfiledapplicationsforbirthcertificates.
OnMay29,2011,thecomplainant,throughherfatherFreddieJ.Farres,wroteademandletter tothe
respondentforthesurrenderoftheNSOreceiptandthereturnoftheP10,000.00thatwassupposedlyforthe
administrationofthepsychologicaltests,withintwo(2)daysfromreceiptoftheletter.Therespondent
receivedthedemandletteronMay30,2011.
2

OnJune7,2011,aftertherespondentrefusedtoheedthecomplainant'sdemands,thecomplainantfiledthe
presentadministrativecomplaint3againsthimbeforetheIntegratedBarofthePhilippinesCommissionon
BarDiscipline(IBPCBD).Thecomplainantallegedthattherespondent'sdeceitful,irresponsible,and
unprofessionalconductinhandlinghercasehisfailuretofilethenecessaryapplicationwiththeNSOfor
theissuanceofherchildren'sbirthcertificates,andtoprovideforapsychologisttoadministerpsychological
testsonherselfandherchildren,aswellashistardinessorabsenceduringhearingsresultedinthe
unwarranteddelayofhercaseandforcedhertofileanewanannulmentcaseagainstherhusband.
TheIBPCBDcalledthecaseformandatoryconferencewherethecomplainantandhercounselappeared.
However,despiteduenotice,therespondentfailedtoappearattheconference;healsofailedtosubmitan
answertotheaffidavitcomplaint.

Inareportandrecommendation5datedNovember21,2012,IBPInvestigatingCommissionerEldridC.
Antiquierafoundthattherespondenthadengagedinunlawful,dishonest,immoral,anddeceitfulconduct
againsthisclient'sinterestinviolationofCanon1oftheCPR.TheInvestigatingCommissioneralsofound
therespondentguiltyofmisappropriatingthefundsentrustedtohimbyhisclientandoffailingtoaccount
forandtoreturnhisclient'smoneyupondemand,inviolationofCanon16oftheCPR.Commissioner
Antiquierarecommendedtheimpositionofthree(3)yearssuspensionfromthepracticeoflaw.
InResolutionNo.XX2013233datedMarch20,2013,theIBPBoardofGovernorsadoptedandapproved
CommissionerAntiquiera'sfindingsofadministrativeliabilitybutmodifiedtherecommendedpenaltyof
suspensionfromthree(3)yearstoone(1)year.6chanrobleslaw
OurRuling
WesustaintheIBPBoardofGovernors'findingsofadministrativeliability,aswellasits
recommendedpenaltyofone(1)yearsuspensionfromthepracticeoflaw.
Whenalawyertakesacase,hecovenantsthathewillexerciseduediligenceinprotectinghisclient'srights.
Failuretoexercisethatdegreeofvigilanceandattentionexpectedofagoodfatherofafamilymakesthe
lawyerunworthyofthetrustreposedbyhisclient,andmakeshimanswerablenotjusttohisclientbutalsoto
thelegalprofession,thecourts,andsociety.7chanrobleslaw
Itisapparentthattherespondentdidnotexertanyeffortonhisclient'scaseandcompletelyrenegedonthe
obligationsduehisclient.Therespondentliedtothecomplainantthathehadmadethenecessaryapplication
andpaymentwiththeNSOfortheissuanceofthebirthcertificatesofthecomplainant'schildren.Despitethe
complainant'srepeatedrequests,therespondentfailedtocomplywiththeiragreementtoprovidea
psychologisttoadministerthenecessarypsychologicaltests,thuscausingfurtherdelayintheproceedingsof
thecomplainant'sannulmentcase.
Clearly,theseactionsshowtherespondent'snegligenceandlackofzealinhandlingthecomplainant'scase,
forwhichheshouldbemadeadministrativelyliable.HeviolatednotonlyRule1.01ofCanon1oftheCPR,
whichprohibitsalawyerfromengaginginunlawful,dishonest,immoralordeceitfulconduct,butalsoRule
18.03ofCanon18ofthesameCode,whichprovidesthat"alawyershallnotneglectalegalmatterentrusted
tohim,andhisnegligenceinconnectiontherewithshallrenderhimliable."
Moreover,therespondentfailedtoliveuptohisdutiesasalawyerwhenheunlawfullywithheldthe
complainant'smoney.Themoneygiventotherespondentwasneverusedforitsintendedpurposes,ascould
begleanedfromtheNSO'snonissuanceofbirthcertificates8ofthecomplainant'schildren,andbythenon
administrationofpsychologicaltestsonthecomplainantandherchildren.Theseomissionsconfirmthe
presumptionthattherespondentmisappropriatedthefundsofhisclient,inviolationofCanon16oftheCPR
thatholdsalawyerintrustofallmoneysandpropertiesofhisclientthatmaycomeintohispossession.The
respondent,likewise,violatedRule16.039ofCanon16(whichprovidesthat"alawyershalldeliverthefunds
andpropertyofhisclientwhendueorupondemand")whenhefailedtoreturnthecomplainant'smoney
upondemand.Wenotethatitwasonlyafterayearthattherespondent,underthreatofacriminalcasefiled
againsthim,returnedthecomplainant'smoney.Therespondent'srestitutioncannotservetomitigatehis
administrativeliabilityashereturnedthecomplainant'smoneynotvoluntarilybutforfearofpossible
criminalliability.

WHEREFORE,respondentAtty.RodrigoCeraisherebySUSPENDEDfromthepracticeoflawforONE
(1)YEAR.HeisWARNEDthatarepetitionofthesameorsimilaractshallbedealtwithmoreseverely.
LetcopiesofthisResolutionbefurnishedtheOfficeoftheBarConfidanttobeenteredintotherespondent's

personalrecord.CopiesshalllikewisebefurnishedtheIntegratedBarofthePhilippinesandtheOfficeofthe
CourtAdministratorforcirculationtoallcourtsconcerned.