[ OCA CIRCULAR NO. 220-2018, October 19, 2018 ]

[ OCA CIRCULAR NO. 220-2018, October 19, 2018 ]

[ OCA CIRCULAR NO. 220-2018, October 19, 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 ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THE INTEGRATED BAR OF THE PHILIPPINES

SUBJECT: SUSPENSION OF ATTY. ROSE BEATRIX CRUZ- ANGELES AND ATTY. WYLIE M. PALER FROM THE PRACTICE OF LAW FOR THREE (3) YEARS

For your information and guidance, quoted hereunder is the Decision dated 9 August 2016 of the En Banc in Administrative Case No. 11113, entitled "Cleo B. Dongga-as v. Atty. Rose Beatrix Cruz- Angeles, Atty. Wylie M. Paler, and Atty. Angeles Grandea, & Paler Law Office," to wit:

WHEREFORE, respondents Atty. Rose Beatrix Cruz-Angeles and Atty. Wylie M. Paler are found GUILTY of violating Rule 1.01, Canon 1, Canon 7, Canon 11, Rule 18.03, Canon 18, and Rules 16.01 and 16.03, Canon 16 of the Code of Professional Responsibility. Accordingly, each of them is hereby SUSPENDED from the practice of law for a period of three (3) years, effective upon the finality of this Decision, with a STERN WARNING that a repetition of the same or similar acts will be dealt with more severely.

Likewise, respondents Atty. Rose Beatrix Cruz- Angeles and Atty. Wylie M. Paler are ORDERED to return to complainant Cleo B. Dongga-as the legal fees they received from the latter in the aggregate amount of P350.000.00 within ninety (90) days from the finality of this Decision. Failure to comply with the foregoing directive will warrant the imposition of a more severe penalty.

Meanwhile, the complaint as against Atty. Angeles Grandea is DISMISSED for lack of merit.

Let copies of this Decision be served on the Office of the Bar Confidant, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, and all courts in the country for their information and guidance and be attached to respondents' personal records as attorney.

Per Registry Return Receipt No. 6256, Atty. Manuel Ravanera, counsel for respondents received on 15 December 2016 the copy of Resolution dated 8 November 2016. Further, per registry Return Receipt No. 30099, Atty. Manuel Ravanera, counsel for respondents, received a copy of the Resolution dated 1 August 2017 on 11 September 2017.

19 October 2018

(SGD.) JOSE MIDAS P. MARQUEZ Court Administrator