Source: https://www.scribd.com/document/297057870/Tan-v-Sabandal-BM-44-February-24-1992
Timestamp: 2019-04-26 04:05:23+00:00

Document:
profession" (Yap Tan v. Sabandal, 10 February 1989, 170 SCRA 211).
On 7 April 1989, Complainant Herve Dagpin in SBC No. 616, and Complainant Moises Boquia in SBC No.
alleged that respondent had deliberately and maliciously excluded them in his Petition of 28 June 1988.
was "acting with morality and has been careful in his actuations in the community."
Board of Officers of 1988-1989.
respondent's good moral character as to entitle him to take the lawyer's oath, and if not, the reason therefor.
COMMENT on respondent's moral fitness to be a member of the Bar.
Compliance herewith is required within ten (10) days from notice.
" as he had asked forgiveness for what has been done to her and that she finds no necessity in pursuing her case against him. filed his Comment. Based on the above findings. upon investigation. 1992 . Executive Judge of the Regional Trial Court of Zamboanga Page del Norte. Sabandal. Sabandal has not been convicted of any crime.LEGAL ETHICS Practice of Law is a Privilege Pursuant to the aforesaid Resolution. is alleged to have secured a free patent and later a certificate of title to a parcel of land which. and received on 25 August 1989. the Board does not find any acts committed by the petitioner to disqualify him from admission to the Philippine Bar. dated 15 August 1990. addressed to the Chief Justice. In the meantime. Co and attested to by its President Gil L. . jurisdiction and discretion of any party to change or amend said final resolutions which are already res judicata. We required the complainants to comment on the aforesaid IBP Certification and to reply to Executive Judge Pelagio Lachica's comment in our Resolution of 15 February 1990. 3747 entitled Republic of the Philippines. This comment was Noted in the Resolution of 22 May 1990. Moises Boquia. Regional Trial Court of Zamboanga del Norte and the Office of the Provincial and City Prosecutors. Nicolas E. and complainant Dagpin. however. signed by its Secretary Peter Y. dated 2 February 1990. and which he later mortgaged to the Rural Bank of Pinan (ZN) Inc. The mortgage was later foreclosed and the land sold at public auction and respondent has not redeemed the land until the present. It is not within the personal competence. dated 4 August 1989. for himself. February 24. by complainant Herve Dagpin in SBC 609. to wit: This is to certify that based on the certifications issued by the Office of the Clerk of Court—Municipal Trial Court in the City of Dipolog. Judge Pelagio R. versus Nicolas Sabandal. complainant Tan in Bar Matter 44. pertinently reading: 2 of 4 The undersigned." This letter was Noted in the Resolution of 2 October 1990. BM 44. nor is there any pending derogatory criminal case against him. On 17 April 1990." the letter stated. that there is Civil Case No. is not aware of any acts committed by him as would disqualify him from admission to the Bar. dated 13 March 1990. in their comment. In a letter. It might be relevant to mention. Mr. (Emphasis Supplied) The IBP Zamboanga del Norte Chapter also submitted a Certification. Complainant Tan further stated that she sees no further reason to oppose his admission to the Bar as he had shown sincere repentance and reformation which she believes make him morally fit to become a member of the Philippine Bar. "we highly recommend him for admission to the legal profession and request this Honorable Court to schedule his oath-taking at a time most convenient. vehemently objecting to the oath-taking of respondent Sabandal and describing his actuations in Civil Case 3747 as manipulative and surreptitious. the Court received another Comment. (Civil Case 3747). on 18 April 1990. after taking note of the unrelenting vehement objections of complainants Tan (in BM 44) and Boquia (in SBC 616) and the Certification by Executive Judge Lachica. Sabandal. . Lachica. these cases therefore should not in the least be considered as anything which is subject and Tan v. per complaint filed by the Office of the Solicitor General. (Zamboanga del Norte). pending before his "Sala" as soon as resolved. this Court resolved to DEFER the setting of a date for the oath-taking of respondent Sabandal and required Judge Lachica to inform this Court of the outcome of the case entitled Republic v. Viewed in the light of the foregoing final and executory resolutions. . On our part. Plaintiff. stated thus: Eufrosina Yap Tan's letter dated 15 August 1990 is a private personal disposition which raises the question whether personal forgiveness is enough basis to exculpate and obliterate these cases. that there is a pending case before his Court involving respondent Sabandal. for Cancellation of Title and/or Reversion pending in this Court in which said respondent. dated 4 August 1989. informed the Court that her relationship with Sabandal has "already been restored. Represented by the Director of Lands.. Inc. dated 5 November 1990. Register of Deeds of Zamboanga del Norte and Rural Bank of Pinan. "In view of this development. which also required a comment on Tan's letter from complainants Boquia and Dagpin. Batula. turned out to be a swampland and not susceptible of acquisition under a free patent. who is not well acquainted personally with the respondent. we believe and maintain the importance and finality of the Honorable Supreme Court's resolutions in these cases.
Nicolas Sabandal" was instituted by the Government in 1985 and was brought about because of respondent's procurement of a certificate of free patent over a parcel of land belonging to the public domain and its use as security for a mortgage in order to obtain a loan. approved by the Trial Court. and the Rural Bank of Pinan to waive its cross-claims against defendant Nicolas Sabandal. which. The controversy was eventually settled by mere compromise with respondent surrendering the bogus certificate of title to the government and paying-off the mortgagor. devoid of any permanency or finality. after careful consideration of his show of contrition and willingness to reform. February 24. Meanwhile. His plea must be DENIED. In a Manifestation. 1992 . according to him. This was "Noted" in the Resolution of 26 February 1991." This was "Noted" in the Resolution of 24 September 1991. It turns out that Civil Case No. we deferred action on the aforesaid Motion pending compliance by the complainants with the Resolution of 29 January 1991 requiring them to comment on the letter of Judge Pacifico M. Sabandal was allowed to take the oath. ten (10) years having elapsed from the time he took and passed the 1976 Bar examinations. Sabandal was an employee of the Bureau of Lands. had been reached between the principal parties. In our Resolution of 1 August 1991. At that time. Regional Trial Court Judge of Branch 8. Sabandal reiterates his plea to be allowed to take the Lawyer's Oath. dated 24 October 1990. To date. was already considered closed and terminated. caused the defendant Sabandal to pay defendant Rural Bank of Pinan the sum of P35. BM 44. provided for the surrender of the certificate of title to the Register of Deeds for proper annotation. dated 6 December 1991. "as Tan v. Sabandal reiterated his prayer to be allowed to take the lawyer's oath in a Motion dated 8 June 1991. Upon request of Sabandal.000 for the loan and interest." and that "there is no more reason to oppose his admission to the Bar. The Office of the Solicitor General interposed no objection to the approval of the said amicable settlement and prayed that judgment be rendered in accordance therewith. on 17 December 1990." dated 12 December 1990. dated 20 December 1990. He did not submit any defense and was declared it default by order of the RTC dated 26 November 1986. 3 Theofabove was "Noted" in the Resolution of 29 November 1990. only complainant Tan has complied with the said Resolution by submitting a Comment. Nicolas Sabandal et al" for Cancellation of Title and/or Reversion. Said judgment reveals that an amicable settlement. in Civil Case 3747. a copy of the "Judgment. we had not received the objections from complainant Tan to Sabandal's taking the oath nor were we aware of the gravity of the civil case against him. reverted to the mass of public domain the land covered by the aforesaid Certificate of' Title with defendant Sabandal refraining from exercising acts of possession or ownership over said land. 3747 is "proof of Sabandal's sincere reformation. the latter having availed of optional retirement on 30 June 1990) submitted to this Court. the said amicable settlement cancelled the Original Certificate of Title under Free Patent in Sabandal's name and the latter's mortgage thereof in favor of the Rural Bank of Pinan. In the same Resolution. Boquia and Dagpin were required to comment on the same. Garcia. Sabandal. a certification. stating that the termination of Civil Case No. dated 29 August 1991. was sent by Executive judge Jesus Angeles of the RTC of Zamboanga del Norte. Respondent's scheming change in tactics and strategy could not improve his case. certifying that Sabandal has no pending case with his Court and that he has no cause to object to his admission to the Philippine Bar. In our Resolution of 10 February 1989. entitled "Republic of the Philippines v. Judge Pacifico M. Judgment in Civil Case No. Briefly. Also taken cognizance of were the several testimonials attesting to his good moral character and civic consciousness. 3747). Judge Pacifico Garcia's letter and the afore-mentioned Judgment were NOTED in our Resolution of 29 January 1991. "to buy peace and forestall further expenses of litigation incurred by defendants" (Rollo. and conformed to by the counsel for defendant Rural Bank of Pinan. complainants Tan.LEGAL ETHICS Page Practice of Law is a Privilege subservient to the changing moods and dispositions of the parties. of his repentance with restitution of the rights of complainants he violated. Garcia. At that time. Dipolog City (who apparently succeeded Judge Pelagio Lachica. 3747 entitled "Republic of the Philippines v. 4 In compliance with the Resolution of 2 October 1990.
It is a privilege bestowed upon individuals who are not only learned in the law but who are also known to possess good moral character: The Supreme Court and the Philippine Bar have always tried to maintain a high standard for the legal profession. His failure to reveal to this Court the pendency of the civil case for Reversion filed against him during the period that he was submitting several Motions for Reconsideration before us also reveal his lack of candor and truthfulness. It should be recalled that Sabandal worked as Land Investigator at the Bureau of Lands. February 24. Case No. WHEREFORE. finding respondent Sabandal to be unfit to become a member of the BAR. therefore. he could not but have known of the intrinsic invalidity of his title and yet he took advantage of it by securing a bank loan. Oblena. supra). of 4 In view of the nature of that case and the circumstances attending its termination. it has been held that the practice of law is not a matter of right. SO ORDERED. Although as the Solicitor General had pointed out. the Court now entertains second thoughts about respondent's fitness to become a member of the Bar. It has also been held that no moral qualification for bar membership is more important than truthfulness or candor (Fellner v. however. the amicable settlement was tantamount to a confession on his part. They have already expressed their objections in their earlier comments. Adm. Sabandal's petition to take the lawyer's oath had already been denied on 29 November 1983 and4he was then submitting to this Court motions for reconsideration alleging his good moral character without. BM 44. This was manipulative on his part and does not speak well of his moral character. What is more. April 30.LEGAL ETHICS Practice of Law is a Privilege the Page amicable settlement may amount to a confession by the defendant" (Rollo. 399 ). 52 Phil. 2d 729). Those testimonials can not. Said employment facilitated his procurement of the free patent title over property which he could not but have known was public land. both in academic preparation and legal training as well as in honesty and fair dealing. which can not be erased by the termination of the case filed by the Republic against him where no determination of his guilt or innocence was made because the suit had been compromised. namely. There are testimonials attesting to his good moral character. 82 Phil. this Court's Resolution. The Court and the licensed lawyers themselves are vitally interested in keeping this high standard. mortgaging it as collateral. 376. mentioning the pendency of that civil case against him. That complainant Tan has withdrawn her objection to his taking the oath can neither tilt the balance in his favor. yes. . it has been defined as "including at least common honesty" (Royong v. at the time said case was instituted. and notwithstanding the foreclosure of the mortgage and the sale of the land at public auction. outweigh nor smother his acts of dishonesty and lack of good moral character. he did not lift a finger to redeem the same until the civil case filed against him was eventually compromised. 230). 1992 . dated 10 February 1989 is RECALLED and his prayer to be allowed to take the lawyer's oath is hereby denied. Moises Boquia (in SBC 606) and Herve Dagpin (in SBC 619) have not submitted any opposition to his motion to take the oath. Time and again. It is a manifestation of gross dishonesty while in the public service. 131 A. is of no moment. (In re Parazo. In re Del Rosario. the basis of her complaint treating as it does of another subject matter. 7 SCRA 859. 1963. But these were confined to lack of knowledge of the pendency of any criminal case against him and were obviously made without awareness of the facts and circumstances surrounding the case instituted by the Government against him. Bar Association of Baltimore City. . Although the term "good moral character" admits of broad dimensions. Sabandal. . and one of the ways of achieving this end is to admit to the practice of this noble profession only those persons who are known to be honest and to possess good moral character. It must also be stressed that in 1985. Tan v. That the other complainants. This is a sad reflection on his sense of honor and fair dealing.

References: v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v.