[ OCA CIRCULAR NO. 48-2016, February 10, 2016 ]

[ OCA CIRCULAR NO. 48-2016, February 10, 2016 ]

[ OCA CIRCULAR NO. 48-2016, February 10, 2016 ]

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 : LIFTING OF SUSPENSION FROM THE PRACTICE OF LAW FOR TWO (2) MONTHS OF ATTY. VIRGIL CASTRO

For your information and guidance, quoted hereunder is the Resolution of the First Division dated 19 October 2015 in Administrative Case No. 6910, entitled "Isaac Basilio, et al. vs. Atty. Virgil Castro," to wit:

1. to NOTE: (a) the respondent's letter dated October 7, 2014 relative to his suspension; (b) the respondent's affidavit dated October 6, 2014 stating, among others, that upon receipt of the Court's Decision dated July 11, 2012, he complied with the directive therein by not appearing as counsel for two (2) months (August and September 2012) in the Regional Trial Court of Nueva Vizcaya where he was handling cases and appeared as counsel, as evidenced by the thereto attached original copies of certifications of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Nueva Vizcaya Chapter, and the lower courts of Nueva Vizcaya; and (c) the Report and Recommendation dated October 28, 2014 and March 13, 2015 of the Office of the Bar Confidant;

2. to LIFT the order of respondent's suspension from the practice of law and to ALLOW him to RESUME his practice of law; and

3. to CONSIDER as MOOT and ACADEMIC the recommendation embodied in the Report dated October 28, 2014 of the Office of the Bar Confidant, stating that the lifting of the orde r of respondent's suspension and allowing him to resume his practice of law be held in abeyance, pending his submission of the original copies of the certifications from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Chapter where he belongs and the Office of the Executive Judge of the court where he practices his legal profession, indicating that he has ceased and desisted from the practice of law and has not appeared as counsel from! August 2014 to September 2014.

10 February 2016

(SGD.) JOSE MIDAS P. MARQUEZ Court Administrator