Complainant Vs Vs Respondent: First Division

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FIRST DIVISION

[A.C. No. 4545. February 5, 2014.]

CARLITO ANG , complainant, vs . ATTY JAMES JOSEPH GUPANA ,


respondent.

DECISION

VILLARAMA, JR. , J : p

Before us is a petition for review under Rule 139-B, Section 12 (c) of the Rules of
Court assailing Resolution Nos. XVII-2005-141 1 and XVIII-2008-698 2 of the Board of
Governors of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP). The IBP Board of Governors
found respondent Atty. James Joseph Gupana administratively liable and imposed on him
the penalty of suspension for one year from the practice of law and the revocation of his
notarial commission and disquali cation from reappointment as notary public for two
years.
The case stemmed from an a davit-complaint 3 led by complainant Carlito Ang
against respondent. Ang alleged that on May 31, 1991, he and the other heirs of the late
Candelaria Magpayo, namely Puri cation Diamante and William Magpayo, executed an
Extra-judicial Declaration of Heirs and Partition 4 involving Lot No. 2066-B-2-B which had
an area of 6,258 square meters and was covered by Transfer Certi cate of Title (TCT ) No.
(T-22409)-6433. He was given his share of 2,003 square meters designated as Lot No.
2066-B-2-B-4, together with all the improvements thereon. 5 However, when he tried to
secure a TCT in his name, he found out that said TCT No. (T-22409)-6433 had already been
cancelled and in lieu thereof, new TCTs 6 had been issued in the names of William
Magpayo, Antonio Diamante, Patricia Diamante, Lolita D. Canque, Gregorio Diamante, Jr.
and Fe D. Montero.
Ang alleged that there is reasonable ground to believe that respondent had a direct
participation in the commission of forgeries and falsi cations because he was the one
who prepared and notarized the A davit of Loss 7 and Deed of Absolute Sale 8 that led to
the transfer and issuance of the new TCTs. Ang pointed out that the Deed of Absolute Sale
which was allegedly executed by Candelaria Magpayo on April 17, 1989, was antedated
and Candelaria Magpayo's signature was forged as clearly shown by the Certi cation 9
issued by the O ce of the Clerk of Court of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Cebu. Further,
the certi ed true copy of page 37, Book No. XII, Series of 1989 of respondent's Notarial
Report indubitably showed that Doc. No. 181 did not refer to the Deed of Absolute Sale,
but to an a davit. 1 0 As to the A davit of Loss, which was allegedly executed by the late
Candelaria Magpayo on April 29, 1994, it could not have been executed by her as she died
1 1 three years prior to the execution of the said affidavit of loss.

Ang further alleged that on September 22, 1995, respondent made himself the
attorney-in-fact of William Magpayo, Antonio Diamante, Patricia Diamante, Lolita Canque,
Gregorio Diamante, Jr. and Fe D. Montero, and pursuant to the Special Power of Attorney in
his favor, executed a Deed of Sale 1 2 selling Lot No. 2066-B-2-B-4 to Lim Kim So
Mercantile Co. on October 10, 1995. Ang complained that the sale was made even though
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a civil case involving the said parcel of land was pending before the RTC of Mandaue City,
Cebu. 1 3 cSCTEH

In his Comment, 1 4 respondent denied any wrongdoing and argued that Ang is
merely using the present administrative complaint as a tool to force the defendants in a
pending civil case and their counsel, herein respondent, to accede to his wishes.
Respondent averred that Ang had led Civil Case No. Man-2202 before Branch 55 of the
Mandaue City RTC. He anchored his claim on the Extra judicial Declaration of Heirs and
Partition and sought to annul the deed of sale and prayed for reconveyance of the subject
parcel of land. During the pre-trial conference in Civil Case No. Man-2202, Ang admitted
that he is not an heir of the late Candelaria Magpayo but insisted on his claim for a share of
the lot because he is allegedly the son of the late Isaias Ang, the common-law husband of
Candelaria Magpayo. Because of his admission, the notice of lis pendens annotated in the
four certi cates of title of the land in question were ordered cancelled and the land
effectively became available for disposition. Ang sought reconsideration of the order, but a
compromise was reached that only one TCT (TCT No. 34266) will be annotated with a
notice of lis pendens. Respondent surmised that these developments in Civil Case No.
Man-2202 meant that Ang would lose his case so Ang resorted to the ling of the present
administrative complaint. Thus, respondent prayed for the dismissal of the case for being
devoid of any factual or legal basis, or in the alternative, holding resolution of the instant
case in abeyance pending resolution of Civil Case No. Man-2202 allegedly because the
issues in the present administrative case are similar to the issues or subject matters
involved in said civil case.
Investigating Commissioner Lydia A. Navarro of the IBP Commission on Bar
Discipline, to whom the case was referred for investigation, report and recommendation,
submitted her Report and Recommendation 1 5 nding respondent administratively liable.
She recommended that respondent be suspended from the practice of law for three
months. She held that respondent committed an unethical act when he allowed himself to
be an instrument in the disposal of the subject property through a deed of sale executed
between him as attorney-in-fact of his client and Lim Kim So Mercantile Co. despite his
knowledge that said property is the subject of a pending litigation before the RTC of
Mandaue City, Cebu. The Investigating Commissioner additionally found that respondent
"delegated the notarial functions to the clerical staff of their o ce before being brought to
him for his signature." This, according to the commissioner, "must have been the reason
for the forged signatures of the parties in the questioned document. . . as well as the
erroneous entry in his notarial register. . . ." 1 6 Nonetheless, the Investigating
Commissioner merely reminded respondent to be more cautious in the performance of his
duties as regards his infraction of his notarial duties. She held,
Respondent should have been more cautious in his duty as notary public
which requires that the party subscribing to the authenticity of the document
should personally appear and sign the same before respondent's actual presence.
As such notary public respondent should not delegate to any unquali ed person
the performance of any task which by law may only be performed by a member
of the bar in accordance with Rule 9.01 1 7 of the Code of Professional
Responsibility. 1 8
On November 12, 2005, the Board of Governors of the IBP issued Resolution No.
XVII-2005-141, 1 9 adopting the ndings of the Investigating Commissioner but modifying
the recommended penalty. Instead of suspension for three months, the Board
recommended the penalty of suspension from the practice of law for one year and
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revocation of respondent's notarial commission and disquali cation from reappointment
as notary public for two years.
Respondent led a motion for reconsideration, 2 0 arguing that it was neither illegal
nor unethical for a lawyer to accept appointment as attorney-in-fact of a client to sell a
property involved in a pending litigation and to act as such. He further contended that
granting that his act was unethical, the modi ed penalty was evidently too harsh and
extremely excessive considering that the act complained of was not unlawful and done
without malice.
On December 11, 2008, the IBP Board of Governors adopted Resolution No. XVIII-
2008-698 2 1 denying respondent's motion for reconsideration and a rming Resolution
No. XVII-2005-141. Hence, this petition for review.
Respondent reiterates that being commissioned by his own clients to sell a portion
of a parcel of land, part of which is involved in litigation, is not per se illegal or unethical.
According to him, his clients got his help to sell part of the land and because they were
residing in different provinces, they executed a Special Power of Attorney in his favor. 2 2
We a rm the resolution of the IBP Board of Governors nding respondent
administratively liable.
After reviewing the records of the case, the Court nds that respondent did not act
unethically when he sold the property in dispute as the sellers' attorney-in-fact because
there was no more notice of lis pendens annotated on the particular lot sold. Likewise, the
Court nds no su cient evidence to show that the Deed of Absolute Sale executed by
Candelaria Magpayo on April 17, 1989 was antedated. aESIHT

However, the Court nds respondent administratively liable for violation of his
notarial duties when he failed to require the personal presence of Candelaria Magpayo
when he notarized the A davit of Loss which Candelaria allegedly executed on April 29,
1994. Section 1 of Public Act No. 2103, otherwise known as the Notarial Law, explicitly
provides:
Sec. 1.. . .

(a)The acknowledgment shall be made before a notary public or


an o cer duly authorized by law of the country to take
acknowledgments of instruments or documents in the place where
the act is done. The notary public or the o cer taking the
acknowledgment shall certify that the person acknowledging the
instrument or document is known to him and that he is the same
person who executed it, and acknowledged that the same is his
free act and deed. The certi cate shall be made under his o cial
seal, if he is by law required to keep a seal, and if not, his
certificate shall so state.

From the foregoing, it is clear that the party acknowledging must appear before the
notary public or any other person authorized to take acknowledgments of instruments or
documents. 2 3 In the case at bar, the just of the A davit of Loss stated that Candelaria
subscribed to the a davit before respondent on April 29, 1994, at Mandaue City.
Candelaria, however, was already dead since March 26, 1991. Hence, it is clear that the
jurat was made in violation of the notarial law. Indeed, respondent averred in his position
paper before the IBP that he did not in fact know Candelaria personally before, during and
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after the notarization 2 4 thus admitting that Candelaria was not present when he notarized
the documents.
Time and again, we have held that notarization of a document is not an empty act or
routine. 2 5 Thus, in Bernardo v. Atty. Ramos , 2 6 the Court emphasized the signi cance of
the act of notarization, to wit:
The importance attached to the act of notarization cannot be
overemphasized. Notarization is not an empty, meaningless, routinary act. It is
invested with substantive public interest, such that only those who are qualified or
authorized may act as notaries public. Notarization converts a private document
into a public document thus making that document admissible in evidence
without further proof of its authenticity. A notarial document is by law entitled to
full faith and credit upon its face. Courts, administrative agencies and the public
at large must be able to rely upon the acknowledgment executed by a notary
public and appended to a private instrument.
For this reason notaries public must observe with utmost care the basic
requirements in the performance of their duties. Otherwise, the con dence of the
public in the integrity of this form of conveyance would be undermined. Hence a
notary public should not notarize a document unless the persons who signed the
same are the very same persons who executed and personally appeared before
him to attest to the contents and truth of what are stated therein. The purpose of
this requirement is to enable the notary public to verify the genuineness of the
signature of the acknowledging party and to ascertain that the document is the
party's free act and deed.

A notary public's function should not be trivialized and a notary public must
discharge his powers and duties which are impressed with public interest, with accuracy
and delity. 2 7 It devolves upon respondent to act with due care and diligence in stamping
at on the questioned documents. Respondent's failure to perform his duty as a notary
public resulted in undermining the integrity of a notary public and in degrading the function
of notarization. Hence, he should be liable for his infraction, not only as a notary public but
also as a lawyer. CTEDSI

As a lawyer commissioned as notary public, respondent is mandated to subscribe


to the sacred duties appertaining to his o ce, such duties being dictated by public policy
impressed with public interest. Faithful observance and utmost respect of the legal
solemnity of the oath in an acknowledgment or jurat is sacrosanct. Simply put, such
responsibility is incumbent upon respondent and failing therein, he must now accept the
commensurate consequences of his professional indiscretion. 2 8 As the Court has held in
Flores v. Chua, 2 9
Where the notary public is a lawyer, a graver responsibility is placed
upon his shoulder by reason of his solemn oath to obey the laws and
to do no falsehood or consent to the doing of any. The Code of
Professional Responsibility also commands him not to engage in unlawful,
dishonest, immoral or deceitful conduct and to uphold at all times the integrity
and dignity of the legal profession. . . . (Emphasis supplied.)

Respondent likewise violated Rule 9.01, Canon 9, of the Code of Professional


Responsibility which provides that "[a] lawyer shall not delegate to any unquali ed person
the performance of any task which by law may only be performed by a member of the Bar
in good standing." Respondent averred in his position paper that it had been his consistent
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practice to course through clerical staff documents to be notarized. Upon referral, said
clerical staff investigates whether the documents are complete as to the fundamental
requirements and inquires as to the identity of the individual signatories thereto. If
everything is in order, they ask the parties to sign the documents and forward them to him
and he again inquires about the identities of the parties before a xing his notarial
signature. 3 0 It is also his clerical staff who records entries in his notarial report. As
aforesaid, respondent is mandated to observe with utmost care the basic requirements in
the performance of his duties as a notary and to ascertain that the persons who signed the
documents are the very same persons who executed and personally appeared before him
to attest to the contents and truth of what are stated therein. In merely relying on his
clerical staff to determine the completeness of documents brought to him for notarization,
limiting his participation in the notarization process to simply inquiring about the identities
of the persons appearing before him, and in notarizing an a davit executed by a dead
person, respondent is liable for misconduct. Under the facts and circumstances of the
case, the revocation of his notarial commission, disquali cation from being commissioned
as a notary public for a period of two years and suspension from the practice of law for
one year are in order. 3 1
WHEREFORE , respondent Atty. James Joseph Gupana is found administratively
liable for misconduct and is SUSPENDED from the practice of law for one year. Further,
his notarial commission, if any, is REVOKED and he is disquali ed from reappointment as
Notary Public for a period of two years, with a stern warning that repetition of the same or
similar conduct in the future will be dealt with more severely.
Let copies of this Decision be furnished to the O ce of the Bar Con dant, the
Integrated Bar of the Philippines, and all courts all over the country. Let a copy of this
Decision likewise be attached to the personal records of respondent.
SO ORDERED.
Sereno, C.J., Leonardo-de Castro, Bersamin and Reyes, JJ., concur.

Footnotes
1.Rollo, Vol. I, p. 462.
2.Rollo, Vol. III, p. 67.

3.Rollo, Vol. I, pp. 1-7.


4.Id. at 8-10.

5.Id. at 9.
6.Id. at 11-20.

7.Id. at 23.
8.Id. at 21-22.
9.Id. at 24.

10.Id. at 25.
11.Id. at 26.
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12.Id. at 33-34.

13.Id. at 466.
14.Id. at 54-58.
15.Id. at 463-471.

16.Id. at 470.
17.Rule 9.01. — A lawyer shall not delegate to any unqualified person the performance of any
task which by law may only be performed by a member of the Bar in good standing.

18.Rollo, Vol. 1, p. 470.


19.Id. at 462. The Resolution reads,
RESOLVED to ADOPT and APPROVE, as it is hereby ADOPTED and APPROVED, with
modification, the Report and Recommendation of the Investigating Commissioner of the
above-entitled case, herein made part of this Resolution as Annex "A"; and, finding the
recommendation fully supported by the evidence on record and the applicable laws and
rules, and considering Respondent's allowed himself [sic] to be an instrument as
attorney-in-fact of his client, Atty. James Joseph Gupana is hereby SUSPENDED from
the practice of law for one (1) year and Respondent's notarial commission is Revoked
and Disqualified [sic] from reappointment as Notary Public for two (2) years.
20.Id. at 476-480.
21.Rollo, Vol. III, p. 67. The Resolution reads,

RESOLVED to ADOPT and APPROVE, as it is hereby ADOPTED and APPROVED the


Recommendation of the Board of Governors First Division of the above-entitled case,
herein made part of this Resolution as Annex "A"; and, finding the recommendation fully
supported by the evidence on record and the applicable laws and rules, the Motion for
Reconsideration is hereby DENIED and Resolution No. XVII-2005-141 of the Board of
Governors dated 12 November 2005 Suspending Atty. James Joseph Gupana from the
practice of law for one (1) year and Disqualification from reappointment as Notary
Public for two (2) years is AFFIRMED.
22.Rollo, Vol. II, pp. 21-22.
23.Coronado v. Atty. Felongco, 398 Phil. 496, 502 (2000).
24.Rollo, Vol. I, p. 384.

25.Gerona v. Atty. Datingaling, 446 Phil. 203, 216 (2003); Coronado v. Atty. Felongco, supra
note 23.

26.433 Phil. 8, 15-16 (2002).


27.Follosco v. Atty. Mateo, 466 Phil. 305, 312 (2004).
28.Villarin v. Atty. Sabate, Jr., 382 Phil. 1, 6-7 (2000).
29.366 Phil. 132, 153 (1999).
30.Rollo, Vol. I, pp. 383-384.

31.See Lanuzo v. Atty. Bongon, 587 Phil. 658, 662 (2008).

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