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favor of Manuel.
The Notarial Law is explicit on the obligations and duties of a notary We take note of respondent's admission in his Answer that he had affixed
public. It requires him to keep a notarial register where he shall record all his signature in the purported Deed of Absolute Sale but he did not enter
his official acts as notary,6 and specifies what information with regard to it in his notarial registry. This is clearly in violation of the Notarial Law for
the notarized document should be entered therein.7 Failure to perform which he must be disciplined.
this duty results in the revocation of his commission as notary public.8
Respondent alleges that he merely signed the Deed of Absolute
The importance attached to the act of notarization cannot be Sale inadvertently and that his signature was procured through mistake,
overemphasized. Notarization is not an empty, meaningless, routinary fraud, undue influence or excusable negligence as he relied on the
act. It is invested with substantive public interest, such that only those assurances of Manuel A. Bernardo, a kababayan from Pampanga, that
who are qualified or authorized may act as notaries public.9 Notarization the document would not be used for any illegal purpose.
converts a private document into a public document thus making that
document admissible in evidence without further proof of its We cannot honor, much less give credit to this allegation. That
authenticity.10 A notarial document is by law entitled to full faith and credit respondent notarized the document out of sympathy for his kababayan is
upon its face. Courts, administrative agencies and the public at large not a legitimate excuse. It is appalling that respondent did away with the
must be able to rely upon the acknowledgment executed by a notary basics of notarial procedure in order to accommodate the alleged need of
public and appended to a private instrument.11 a friend and client. In doing so, he displayed a decided lack of respect for
the solemnity of an oath in a notarial document. He also exhibited his
For this reason notaries public must observe with utmost care the basic clear ignorance of the importance of the office of a notary public. Not only
requirements in the performance of their duties.12 Otherwise, the did he violate the Notarial Law, he also did so without thinking of the
confidence of the public in the integrity of this form of conveyance would possible damage that might result from its non-observance.
be undermined.13Hence a notary public should not notarize a document
The principal function of a notary public is to authenticate documents. Mendoza, and Corona, JJ., concur.
When a notary public certifies to the due execution and delivery of the Quisumbing, J., on official business.
document under his hand and seal he gives the document the force of
evidence. Indeed, one of the purposes of requiring documents to be
acknowledged before a notary public, in addition to the solemnity which
should surround the execution and delivery of documents, is to authorize
such documents to be given without further proof of their execution and
Footnotes
delivery.17 Where the notary public is a lawyer, a graver responsibility is
placed upon him by reason of his solemn oath to obey the laws and to do
no falsehood or consent to the doing of any.18 Failing in this, he must
1 Records, pp. 2-5.
accept the consequences of his unwarranted actions.
2 Id, pp. 37-45.
From his admissions we find that Atty. Mario G. Ramos failed to exercise
the due diligence required of him in the performance of the duties of
3 Id, pp. 48, 50, 53, and 58.
notary public. We do not agree however that his negligence should merit
disbarment, which is the most severe form of disciplinary sanction. 4 Id, p. 60.
Disbarment should never be imposed unless it is evidently clear that the
lawyer, by his serious misconduct, should no longer remain a member of 5 Id, p. 62.
the bar. Removal from the bar should not really be decreed when any
punishment less severe - reprimand, temporary suspension or fine - 6The Notarial Law, Sec. 245. Notarial Register. - Every notary
would accomplish the end desired.19 Under the circumstances, imposing public shall keep a register to be known as the notarial register,
sanctions decreed under the Notarial Law and suspension from the wherein record shall be made of all his official acts as notary x x x
practice of law would suffice. x"
WHEREFORE, for lack of diligence in the observance of the Notarial 7 Id; Sec. 246. Matters to be entered therein. - The notary public
Law, the commission of respondent Atty. Mario G. Ramos as Notary shall enter in such register, in chronological order, the nature of
Public, if still existing, is REVOKED and thereafter Atty. Ramos should each instrument executed, sworn to, or acknowledged before
be DISQUALIFIED from reappointment to the office of Notary Public. him, the person executing, swearing to, or acknowledging the
instrument, the witnesses, if any, to the signature, the date of
Respondent Atty. Mario G. Ramos is also SUSPENDED from the practice execution, oath, or acknowledgment of the instrument, the fees
of law for a period of six (6) months effective immediately. He collected by him for his services as notary in connection
is DIRECTED to report to this Court his receipt of this Decision to enable therewith, and when the instrument is a contract, he shall keep a
it to determine when his suspension shall have taken effect. correct copy thereof as part of his records, and shall likewise
enter in said records a brief description of the substance thereof,
The Clerk of Court of this Court is DIRECTED to immediately circularize and shall give to each entry a consecutive number, beginning
this Decision for the proper guidance of all concerned. with number one in each calendar year. The notary shall give to
each instrument executed, sworn to, or acknowledged before him
Let copies of this Decision be furnished the Office of the Bar Confidant a number corresponding to the one in his register, and shall also
and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines. state on the instrument the page or pages of his register on which
the same is recorded. No blank line shall be left between entries x
SO ORDERED. xxx"
8 Id; Sec. 249. Grounds for revocation of commission. - The
following derelictions of duty on the part of a notary public shall, in
the discretion of the proper judge of first instance, be sufficient
ground for the revocation of his commission x x x x (b) The failure
of the notary to make the proper entry or entries in his notarial
register touching his notarial acts in the manner required by law x
xxx"
12Nunga v, Viray, Adm. Case No. 4758, 30 April 1999, 306 SCRA
487, 491.
16 See Note 7.