code of professional responsibility

CANON 1: PROMOTE AND RESPECT LAW AND LEGAL PROCESSA.M. No. L-363 July 31, 1962IN RE: DISBARMENT PROCEEDINGS AGAINST ATTY. DIOSDADO . G!TIERRE", respondent.Victoriano A. Savellano for complaint.Nestor M. Andrada for respondent.MA#ALINTAL, J.:Respondent Diosdado Q. Gutierrez is a e!er o" t#e P#i$ippine %ar& aditted to it on O'to!er (& 1)*(. +n 'riina$ 'ase No. R,-). o" t#e Court o" /irst +nstan'e o" Orienta$ Mindoro #e 0as 'on1i'ted o" t#e urder o" /i$eon Saa'o& "orer uni'ipa$ a2or o" Ca$apan& and to3et#er 0it# #is 'o,'onspirators 0as senten'ed to t#e pena$t2 o" deat#. 4pon re1ie0 !2 t#is Court t#e 5ud3ent o" 'on1i'tion 0as a6red on 7une .8& 1)(9 :G.R. No. L,1-181;& !ut t#e pena$t2 0as '#an3ed to reclusion perpetua. A"ter ser1in3 a portion o" t#e senten'e respondent 0as 3ranted a 'onditiona$ pardon !2 t#e President on Au3ust 1)& 1)(On O'to!er )& 1)(< t#e 0ido0 o" t#e de'eased /i$eon Saa'o& 1i'ti in t#e urder 'ase& ?$ed a 1eri?ed 'op$aint !e"ore t#is Court pra2in3 t#at respondent !e reo1ed "ro t#e ro$$ o" $a02ers pursuant to Ru$e 1@-& se'tion (. Respondent presented #is ans0er in due tie& adittin3 t#e "a'ts a$$e3ed !2 'op$ainant re3ardin3 pardon in de"ense& on t#e aut#orit2 o" t#e de'ision o" t#is Court in t#e 'ase o" +n re LontoA& *. P#i$. @)..4nder se'tion ( o" Ru$e 1@-& a e!er o" t#e !ar a2 !e reo1ed suspended "ro #is o6'e as attorne2 !2 t#e Supree Court !2 reason o" #is 'on1i'tion o" a 'rie inso$1in3 ora$ turpitude. Murder is& 0it#out dou!t& su'# a 'rie. T#e ter >ora$ turpitude> in'$udes e1er2t#in3 0#i'# is done 'ontrar2 to 5usti'e& #onest2& odest2 or 3ood ora$s. +n re Car$os S. %asa& *1 P#i$. @-(. As used in dis!arent statutes& it eans an a't o" !aseness& 1i$eness& or depra1it2 in t#e pri1ate and so'ia$ duties 0#i'# a an o0es to #is "e$$o0en or to so'iet2 in 3enera$& 'ontrar2 to t#e a''epted ru$e o" ri3#t and dut2 !et0een an and an. State e= re$. Conklin v. Buckingham, +t is our 1ie0 t#at t#e ru$in3 does not 3o1ern t#e Cuestion no0 !e"ore us. +n aAin3 it t#e Court pro'eeded on t#e assuption t#at t#e pardon 3ranted to respondent LontoA 0as a!so$ute. T#is is ip$i'it in t#e ratio decidendi o" t#e 'ase& parti'u$ar$2 int#e 'itations to support it& nae$2. +n Re Eons& @) Ca$. App. 1@1B Scott vs. State& 9 Te=. Ci1. App. .*.B and Ex parte Gar$and& * Wa$$& .proo" o" a 'on1i'tion o" an2 "e$on2.> Fa1in3 !een t#us 'an'e$$ed& a$$ its "or'e as a "e$on2 'on1i'tion 0as taAen a0a2. A pardon "a$$in3 s#ort o" t#is 0ou$d not !e a pardon& a''ordin3 to t#e 5udi'ia$ 'onstru'tion 0#i'# t#at a't o" e=e'uti1e 3ra'e 0as re'ei1ed. Ex parte Gar$and& * Wa$$& .**B note v. !.S.& )( 4.S. 1*)& and 'ases t#ere 'itedB "oung v. "oung, 91 Te=. 1)1.And t#e portion o" t#e de'ision in Ex parte Gar$and Cuoted 0it# appro1a$ in t#e LontoA 'ase is as "o$$o0s:A pardon rea'#es !ot# t#e punis#ent pres'ri!ed "or t#e oEense and t#e 3ui$t o" t#e oEenderB and 0#en t#e pardon is "u$$& it re$eases t#e punis#ent and !$ots out t#e e=isten'e o" 3ui$t& so t#at in t#e e2e o" t#e $a0 t#e oEender is as inno'ent as i" #e #ad ne1er 'oitted t#e oEense. +t 3ranted !e"ore 'on1i'tion& it pre1ents an2 o"t#e pena$ties and disa!i$ities& 'onseCuent upon 'on1i'tion& "ro atta'#in3B i" 3ranted a"ter 'on1i'tion& it reo1es t#e pena$ties and disa!i$ities& and restores #i to a$$ #is 'i1i$ ri3#ts it aAes #i& as it 0ere& a ne0 an& and 3i1es #i a ne0 'reditand 'apa'it2.T#e pardon 3ranted to respondent #ere is not a!so$ute !ut 'onditiona$& and ere$2 reitted t#e une=e'uted portion o" #is ter. +t does not rea'# t#e oEense itse$"& un$iAe t#at in Ex parte Gar$and& 0#i'# 0as >a "u$$ pardon and anest2 "or a$$ oEense!2 #i 'oitted in 'onne'tion 0it# re!e$$ion :'i1i$ 0ar; a3ainst 3o1ernent o" t#e 4nited States.>T#e "ore3oin3 'onsiderations rendered +n re LontoA are inapp$i'a!$e #ere. Respondent Gutierrez ust !e 5ud3ed upon t#e "a't o" #is 'on1i'tion "or urder 0it#out re3ard to t#e pardon #e in1oAes in de"ense. T#e 'rie 0as Cua$i?ed !2 trea'#er2 and a33ra1ated !2 its #a1in3 !een 'oitted in #and& !2 taAin3 ad1anta3e o" #is o6'ia$ position :respondent !ein3 uni'ipa$ a2or at t#e tie; and 0it# t#e use o" otor 1e#i'$e. Peop$e 1s. Diosdado Gutierrez& supra. T#e de3ree o" ora$ turpitude in1o$1ed is su'# as to 5usti"2 #is !ein3 pur3ed "ro t#e pro"ession.T#e pra'ti'e o" $a0 is a pri1i$e3e a''orded on$2 to t#ose 0#o easure up to 'ertain ri3id standards o" enta$ and ora$ ?tness. /or t#e adission o" a 'andidate to t#e !ar t#e Ru$es o" Court not on$2 pres'ri!e a test o" a'adei' preparation !ut reCuire satis"a'tor2 testionia$s o" 3ood ora$ '#ara'ter. T#ese standards are neit#er dispensed 0it# nor $o0ered a"ter adission: t#e $a02er ust 'ontinue to ad#ere to t#e or e$se in'ur t#e risA o" suspension or reo1a$. As stated in Ex parte Wa$$& 18- 4.S. @9.& @- La0 ed.& ((@& ((9: >O" a$$ '$asses and pro"essions& t#e $a02er is ost sa'red$2 !ound to up#o$d t#e $a0s. Fe is t#eir s0orn ser1antB and "or #i& o" a$$ enin t#e 0or$d& to repudiate and o1erride t#e $a0s& to trap$e t#e under "oot and to i3nore t#e 1er2 !onds o" so'iet2& ar3ues re'rean'2 to #is position and o6'e and sets a perni'ious e=ap$e to t#e insu!ordinate and dan3erous e$eents o" t#e !od2po$iti'.WFERE/ORE& pursuant to Ru$e 1@-& Se'tion (& and 'onsiderin3 t#e nature o" t#e 'rie "or 0#i'# respondent Diosdado Q. Gutierrez #as !een 'on1i'ted& #e is ordereddis!arred and #is nae stri'Aen "ro t#e ro$$ o" $a02ers.Beng#on, C.$., %a&rador, Concepcion, Barrera, 'aredes, (i#on and )egala, $$., concur.'adilla, $., took no part.(*+ES,Attorney Gutierrez was convicted for the murder of one Filemon Samaco in 1956. He was sentenced tothepenalty ofreclusionperpetua. n195!" after servin#aportionof thepenalty" hewas #ranteda conditional pardon $y the %resident. He was released on the condition that he shallnot commit anycrime. Su$se&uently" the widow of Samaco filed a dis$arment case a#ainst Gutierrez $y reason of thelatter's conviction of a crime involvin# moral turpitude. (urder" is without a dou$t" such a crime.ISSUE: )hether or not Gutierrez may $e dis$arred considerin# the fact that he was #ranted pardon.HELD: *es. +hepardon#rantedtoGutierrezisnot a$solute$ut conditional. t merelyremittedhissentence. t does not reach the offense itself. Gutierrez must $e ,ud#ed upon the fact of his conviction formurder without re#ard to the pardon -which he invo.ed in defense/. +he crime was actually &ualified $ytreacheryanda##ravated$yitshavin#$eencommittedinhand" $yta.in#advanta#eof hisofficialposition -Gutierrez $ein# municipal mayor at the time/ and with the use of motor vehicle.+he de#ree ofmoral turpitude involved is such as to ,ustify his $ein# pur#ed from the profession."ALDI$AR $S. GON"ALESD+GESTGa$di1ar 0as t#e 3o1ernor o" Anti&ue.Fe 0as '#ar3ed !e"ore t#e Sandi3an!a2an "or1io$ations o" t#e Anti,Gra"t and Corrupt Pra'ti'es A't. Gonza$es 0as t#e t#en Tanod!a2an 0#o 0as in1esti3atin3 t#e 'ase. Ga$di1ar t#en ?$ed 0it# t#e Supree Court a petition "or Certiorari& Pro#i!ition and Mandaus assai$in3 t#e aut#orit2 o" t#e Tanod!a2an to in1esti3ate 3ra"t 'ases under t#e 1). Fis de"ense is t#at >t#ere !ein3 no e1iden'e in t#e re'ord esta!$is#in3 t#e re$ations#ip o" attorne2 and '$ient !et0een t#e respondent and t#e a$e"a'tors>& and >t#e a't 'op$ained o" not #a1in3 !een 'oitted in t#e e=er'ise o" #is pro"ession o" attorne2,at,$a0>& t#e a'ts #e 'oitted 'ou$d not aEe't #is status as attorne2,at,$a0 and 'ou$d not& t#ere"ore& 'onstitute a 3round "or dis'ip$inar2 a'tion.Se'tion @1 o" t#e Code o" Ci1i$ Pro'edure enuerates t#e 3rounds "or t#e suspension or dis!arent o" a $a02er. Ne1ert#e$ess& it is 0e$$ sett$ed t#at a e!ero" t#e !ar a2 !e suspended or reo1ed "ro #is o6'e as $a02er "or ot#er t#an statutor2 3rounds. Fo0e1er& as a 3enera$ ru$e& a 'ourt 0i$$ not assue 5urisdi'tion todis'ip$ine one o" its o6'ers "or is'ondu't a$$e3ed to !e 'oitted in #is pri1ate 'apa'it2. T#e e='eption to t#e ru$e is t#at an attorne2 0i$$ !e reo1ed not on$2 "or a$pra'ti'e and dis#onest2 in #is pro"ession& !ut a$so "or 3ross is'ondu't not 'onne'ted 0it# #is pro"essiona$ duties& 0#i'# s#o0s #i to !e un?t "or t#e o6'e and un0ort#2 o" t#e pri1i$e3es 0#i'# #is $i'ense and t#e $a0 'on"er upon #i. :*n re Pe$aez M1)@.N& ** P#i$.& (9-.;T#e 'ourts are not 'urators o" t#e ora$s o" t#e !ar. At t#e sae tie t#e pro"essionis not 'ope$$ed to #ar!or a$$ persons 0#ate1er t#eir '#ara'ter& 0#o are "ortunate enou3# to Aeep out o" prison. As 3ood '#ara'ter is an essentia$ Cua$i?'ation "or adission o" an attorne2 to pra'ti'e& 0#en t#e attorne2Ds '#ara'ter is !ad in su'# respe't as to s#o0 t#at #e is unsa"e and un?t to !e entrusted 0it# t#e po0ers o" an attorne2& t#e 'ourts retain t#e po0er to dis'ip$ine #i.+t 0i$$ !e re'a$$ed t#at Per"e'to A!ordo& a e!er o" t#e P#i$ippine %ar& attepted to en3a3e in an opiu dea$ in dire't 'ontra1ention o" t#e 'riina$ $a0 o" t#e P#i$ippine +s$ands. A$$ t#at Aept t#e ne"arious p$an "ro su''eedin3 0as t#e trea'#erous 'ondu't o" #is 'o,'onspirators. T#e intention to Oaunt t#e $a0 0as present e1en i" 'onsuation o" t#e o1ert a't 0as not a''op$is#ed. +n t#e e2es o"t#e 'anons o" pro"essiona$ et#i's 0#i'# 3o1ern t#e 'ondu't o" attorne2s& t#e a't 0as as repre#ensi!$e as i" it #ad !een !rou3#t to a su''ess"u$ 'u$ination. >O" a$$ '$asses and pro"essions& t#e $a02er is ost sa'red$2 !ound to up#o$d t#e $a0s> said t#e 4nited States Supree Court in t#e 0e$$ Ano0n 'ase o" Ex 'arte Wa$$ : M1