Alcala vs. de Vera

A.C. No. 620 March 21, 1974  JOSE ALCALA and AVELINA IMPERIAL, p!"!"onr#, $#. %ONES&O 'E VERA, r#pondn!.

M()O* PALMA, J.+p FACTS:

In a c"$" c"$" ca# -or ann/n! o- a #a o- 2 o!# -"d  on S/nch a3a"n#! Sp#. Acaa on !h 3rond !ha! on o- !h o!# canno!  oca!d or d"d no! "#!, hr"n r#pondn! rpr#n!d #p#. Acaa. &r"a Cor! rndrd  5d3/n! r#c"nd"n3 !h con!rac! o- #a on !h 3rond !ha! S/nch a# no! a !o !a /a!r"a po####"on o- !h o! "n #!"on and !ha! "! ha# n occp"d  on Rpr!o Ldo$"c and h"# ro!hr# -or a n/r oar# arad. On Apr" 19, 1968, r#pondn! A!!. d Vra rc"$d a cop o- !h dc"#"on ! h -a"d !o "n-or/ h"# c"n!# o- !h 5d3/n! a3a"n#! !h/. On  J 17, 1968, a #hr"-- ca/ !o co/pa"nan!# ho# !o #r$ a r"! oc c! !"o "on" n"## ## d d "n #a"d #a"d ca# ca#.. &o &o!a !a   ca3 ca3h! h!  #rp #rpr" r"# #,, Jo# Jo# Aca Acaa a "//d"a! ro! !o !h !r"a cor! and "n"rd -or !h #!a!# o- ca# 247:.  &h dp! Cr o- Cor!, "n h"# rp da!d J 22, 1968, "n-or/d Acaa !ha! !h ca# a# dc"dd on Apr" Apr" 17, 1968, !ha! a cop o- !h dc"#"on dc"#"on a# rc"$d rc"$d  r#pondn! r#pondn! a!!orn on Apr" 19, 1968, and !ha! #"nc no appa a# !an, a r"! o- c!"on c!"on a# "##d  !h !r"a cor! cor! on /o!"on /o!"on o- !h pa"n!"-- S/nch. #po## Acaa "n#!"!!d c"$" ca# 2728 -or da/a3# a3a"n#! A!!. %on#!o d Vra -or ha$"n3 -a"d !o "n-or/ !h/ o- !h dc"#"on "n ca# 247: a# a r#! o- h"ch !h o#! !h"r r"3h! !o appa -ro/ #a"d dc"#"on.  &h cor! dn"d "! -or -a"r !o #ho !ha! !h "ndd #--rd da/a3#. Co/pa Co/ pa"na "nan!# n!# "n#!"! "n#!"!! !d d !h"# !h"# co/pa co/pa"n! "n! -or d"#ar/ d"#ar/n! n! a3a"n# a3a"n#!! !h"r !h"r -or/r con#. ISSUE:

;h!hr or no! d"#ar/n! "# propr.

HELD: For indifferenc indifference, e, loyalty and lack of interest interest of respondent respondent in handling complainant's defense.

 &h $"dnc pro$"n3 "#!nc o- o! o--rd  #p#. Acaa h"ch r#pondn! a3d -a"d !o pr#n! a# rndrd nnc##ar -or !h co//"##"onr appo"n!d arad rpor!d !ha! !h o! "#!d ! !h #a/ a# a# "n !h !h po## po### ##" #"on on o- o!h o!hr pr pr#on# #on#.. &h &h -ac -ac! !ha! !ha! !h pa" pa"n! n!""--, --,

S/nch, a# no! aardd an da/a3#, a!!orn# -#, and co#!# #ho# !ha! r#pondn! a!!orn r!d h"# !/o#! !o r#"#! pa"n!"--# co/pa"n!. For gross negligence and malpractice committed by respondent for failure to inform his clients of the decision in the civil case.

P!"!"onr# do no! appar !o ha$ #--rd an /a!r"a or pcn"ar da/a3  !h -a"r o- r#pondn! A!!. ' Vra !o no!"- !h/ o- !h dc"#"on "n C"$" Ca# No. 247: #"nc !h dc"#"on rndrd a# -a"r and  5#!"-"d. It is no less true, however, that in failing to inform his clients, the  petitioners, of the decision in said civil case, respondent failed to exercise "such skill, care, and diligence as men of the legal profession commonly  possess and exercise in such matters of professional employment <

 &h corrc!n## o- !h dc"#"on "n !h c"$" ca# "# no 3rond -or onra!"n3 r#pondn! o- !h char3 ! a! /o#! " #r$ on !o /"!"3a! h"# "a""!. ;h" !hr "# no -"nd"n3 o- /a"c, dc"!, or d"ra! "n!n! !o ca# da/a3 !o h"# c"n!#, !hr "#, non!h##, proo- o- n3"3nc, "na!!n!"on, and car##n## on !h par! o- r#pondn! "n h"# -a"r !o 3"$ !"/ no!"c o- !h dc"#"on "n #!"on. =or!na! -or r#pondn!, h"# n3"3nc d"d no! r#! "n an /a!r"a or pcn"ar da/a3 !o !h hr"n co/pa"nan!# and -or !h"# ra#on ; ar no! d"#po#d !o "/po# pon h"/ ha! /a  con#"drd "n a ar# carr a# !h !r/ pna! od"#ar/n!.  &h d"#ar/n! o- an a!!orn "# no! "n!ndd a# a pn"#h/n!, ! "# ra!hr "n!ndd !o pro!c! !h ad/"n"#!ra!"on o- 5#!"c.  Ac! o- r#pondn! /an"-#!# a ac o- !o!a dd"ca!"on or d$o!"on !o !h"r "n!r#! pc!d o- h"/ ndr h"# ar# oa!h and !h Canon# oPro-##"ona E!h"c#. R#pondn!# "nac!"on /r"!# a #$r cn#r -ro/ !h Cor!. GUILTY only of simple negligence in the performance of his !ties as a la"yer of complainants# an $e here%y SE&E'ELY CE(SU'E him