[ OCA CIRCULAR NO. 58-2018, March 22, 2018 ]

[ OCA CIRCULAR NO. 58-2018, March 22, 2018 ]

[ OCA CIRCULAR NO. 58-2018, March 22, 2018 ]

TO: THE COURT OF APPEALS, SANDIGANBAYAN, COURT OF TAX APPEALS, REGIONAL TRIAL COURTS, SHARI'A DISTRICT COURTS, METROPOLITAN TRIAL COURTS, MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURTS IN CITIES, MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURTS, MUNICIPAL CIRCUIT TRIAL COURTS, SHARI'A CIRCUIT COURTS, THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF STATE PROSECUTOR, PUBLIC ATTORNEYS OFFICE AND THE INTEGRATED BAR OF THE PHILIPPINES

SUBJECT : SUSPENSION OF ATTY. OLIMPIO R. DATU FROM THE PRACTICE OF LAW FOR SIX (6) MONTHS

For your information and guidance, quoted hereunder is the Decision dated 30 August 2017 of the First Division in Administrative Case No. 8903, entitled "Edigardo V. Bondoc v. Atty. Olimpio R. Datu," to wit:

WHEREFORE , in view of the foregoing, we AFFIRM WITH MODIFICATION Resolution No. XX-2013-374 of the IBP Board of Governors. We impose upon Atty. Olimpio R. Datu the penalty of SIX MONTHS SUSPENSION from the practice of law for violation of Rule 16.03, Rule 18.03, and Canon 17 of the Code of Professional Responsibility, effective upon finality of this Decision. He is also STERNLY WARNED that a repetition of the same or similar acts will be dealt with more severely.

Atty. Olimpio R. Datu is also ORDERED to RETURN to Edigardo V. Bondoc the amount of P25,000 with legal interest from the date of finality of this Decision until the full amount is returned.

In a Resolution dated 8 January 2018, the Court DENIED with FINALITY the respondent's Motion for Reconsideration.

22 March 2018

(SGD.) JOSE MIDAS P. MARQUEZ Court Administrator