Republic of the Philippines

SUPREME COURT
Manila
THIRD DIVISION
A.M. No. SDC-97-2-P February 24, 1997
SOPHIA AA!I, complainant,
vs.
ASHAR" M. AAU"A, C#er$ o% Cour& 'I, S(ar)*a D)+&r),& Cout, Maa!i Cit", espon#ent.
NAR'ASA, C.J.:
Sophia $la!i !as %an# pesumabl" still is& a sales epesentative %o coo#inato& of '.(. Villaosa
) Patnes Co., *t#. of Davao Cit", a eal estate an# housin+ compan". $shai M. $lau"a is
the incumbent e,ecutive cle- of cout of the .th /u#icial Shai0a Distict in Maa!i Cit", The"
!ee classmates, an# use# to be fien#s.
It appeas that thou+h $la!i0s a+enc", a contact !as e,ecute# fo the puchase on installments
b" $lau"a of one of the housin+ units belon+in+ to the above mentione# fim %heeafte, simpl"
Villaosa ) Co.&1 an# in connection thee!ith, a housin+ loan !as also +ante# to $lau"a b" the
National Home Mot+a+e 2inance Copoation %NHM2C&.
Not lon+ afte!a#s, o moe pecisel" on Decembe 34, 3554, $lau"a a##esse# a lette to the
Pesi#ent of Villaosa ) Co. a#visin+ of the temination of his contact !ith the compan". He
!ote6
. . I am fomall" an# officiall" !ith#a!in+ fom an# notif"in+ "ou of m" intent to teminate the
Contact7$+eement entee# into bet!een me an# "ou compan", as epesente# b" "ou Sales
$+ent7Coo#inato, SOPHI$ $*$8I, of "ou compan"0s banch office hee in Ca+a"an #e Oo
Cit", on the +oun#s that m" consent !as vitiate# b" +oss misepesentation, #eceit, fau#,
#ishonest" an# abuse of confi#ence b" the afoesai# sales a+ent !hich ma#e sai# contact
voi# ab initio. Sai# sales a+ent actin+ in ba# faith pepetate# such ille+al an# unauthoi9e# acts
!hich ma#e sai# contact an Oneous Contact pe:u#icial to m" i+hts an# inteests. He then
pocee#e# to e,poun# in consi#eable #etail an# ;uite acebic lan+ua+e on the <+oun#s !hich
coul# evi#ence the ba# faith. #eceit, fau#, misepesentation, #ishonest" an# abuse of
confi#ence b" the unscupulous sales a+ent . . .1= an# close# !ith the plea that Villaosa ) Co.
<a+ee fo the mutual escission of ou contact, even as I infom "ou that I cate+oicall" state on
eco# that I am teminatin+ the contact . . . I hope I #o not have to esot to an" le+al action
befoe sai# oneous an# manipulate# contact a+ainst m" inteest be annulle#. I !as actuall"
foole# b" "ou sales a+ent, hence the nee# to annul the contovesial contact.=
$lau"a sent a cop" of the lette to the Vice>Pesi#ent of Villaosa ) Co. at San Pe#o, ?usa,
Ca+a"an #e Oo Cit". The envelope containin+ it, an# !hich actuall" !ent thou+h the post, boe
no stamps. Instea# at the i+ht han# cone above the #esciption of the a##essee, the !o#s,
<Free Postage PD 26,= ha# been t"pe#.
On the same #ate, Decembe 34, 3554, $lau"a also !ote to M. 2emin T. $9a+a, Vice>
Pesi#ent, Ce#it ) Collection ?oup of the National Home Mot+a+e 2inance Copoation
%NHM2C& at Salce#o Villa+e, Ma-ati Cit", epu#iatin+ as fau#ulent an# voi# his contact !ith
Villaosa ) Co.1 an# as-in+ fo cancellation of his housin+ loan in connection thee!ith, !hich
!as pa"able fom sala" #e#uctions at the ate of P.,@@A.BB a month. $mon+ othe thin+s, he
sai#6
. . . %T&hou+h this !itten notice, I am teminatin+, as I heeb" annul, cancel, escin# an# voi#e#,
the <manipulate# contact= entee# into bet!een me an# the '.(. Villaosa ) Patne Co., *t#., as
epesente# b" its sales a+ent7coo#inato, SOPHI$ $*$8I, !ho maliciousl" an# fau#ulentl"
manipulate# sai# contact an# unla!full" secue# an# pusue# the housin+ loan !ithout m"
authoit" an# a+ainst m" !ill. Thus, the contact itself is #eeme# to be voi# ab initio in vie! of the
atten#in+ cicumstances, that m" consent !as vitiate# b" misepesentation, fau#, #eceit,
#ishonest", an# abuse of confi#ence1 an# that thee !as no meetin+ of the min#s bet!een me
an# the s!in#lin+ sales a+ent !ho conceale# the eal facts fom me.
$n#, as in his lette to Villaosa ) Co., he naate# in some #etail !hat he too- to be the
anomalous actuations of Sophia $la!i.
$lau"a !ote thee othe lettes to M. $9a+a of the NHM2C, #ate# 2ebua" C3, 355D, $pil 34,
355D, an# Ma" @, 355D, in all of !hich, fo the same easons alea#" cite#, he insiste# on the
cancellation of his housin+ loan an# #iscontinuance of #e#uctions fom his sala" on account
theeof. a He also !ote on /anua" 3A, 355D to Ms. Coa9on M. O#oEe9, Hea# of the 2iscal
Mana+ement ) (u#+et Office, an# to the Chief, 2inance Division, both of this Cout, to stop
#e#uctions fom his sala" in elation to the loan in ;uestion, a+ain assetin+ the anomalous
manne b" !hich he !as alle+e#l" #upe# into entein+ into the contacts b" <the schemin+ sales
a+ent.= b
The upshot !as that in Ma", 355D, the NHM2C !ote to the Supeme Cout e;uestin+ it to stop
#e#uctions on $lau"a0s FH*P loan <effective Ma" 355D.= an# be+an ne+otiatin+ !ith Villaosa )
Co. = fo the bu">bac- of . . . %$lau"a0s& mot+a+e. an# . . the efun# of . . %his& pa"ments.= ,
On leanin+ of $lau"a0s lette to Villaosa ) Co. of Decembe 34, 3554, Sophia $la!i file# !ith this
Cout a veifie# complaint #ate# /anua" C4, 355D G to !hich she appen#e# a cop" of the lette,
an# of the above mentione# envelope beain+ the t"pe!itten !o#s, <Free Postage PD
26.= 1 In that complaint, she accuse# $lau"a of6
3. <Imputation of malicious an# libelous cha+es !ith no soli# +oun#s thou+h manifest i+noance
an# evi#ent ba# faith1=
C. <Causin+ un#ue in:u" to, an# blemishin+ he hono an# establishe# eputation1=
@. <Fnauthoi9e# en:o"ment of the pivile+e of fee posta+e . . .1= an#
.. Fsupation of the title of <attone",= !hich onl" e+ula membes of the Philippine (a ma"
popel" use.
She #eploe# $lau"a0s efeences to he as <unscupulous s!in#le, fo+e, manipulato, etc.=
!ithout <even a bit of evi#ence to cloth %sic& his alle+ations !ith the essence of tuth,= #enouncin+
his imputations as iesponsible, <all concoctions, lies, baseless an# couple# !ith manifest
i+noance an# evi#ent ba# faith,= an# assetin+ that all he #ealin+s !ith $lau"a ha# been e+ula
an# completel" tanspaent. She close# !ith the plea that $lau"a <be #ismisse# fom the senice,
o be appopiatel" #iscipline# %sic& . . .=
The Cout esolve# to o#e $lau"a to comment on the complaint, Confomabl" !ith establishe#
usa+e that notices of resolutions emanate fom the coespon#in+ Office of the Cle- of Cout,
the notice of resolution in this case !as si+ne# b" $tt". $lfe#o P. Maasi+an, $ssistant Division
Cle- of Cout. 2
$lau"a fist submitte# a <Pelimina" Comment= - in !hich he ;uestione# the authoit" of $tt".
Maasi+an to e;uie an e,planation of him, this po!e petainin+, acco#in+ to him, not to <a
mee $sst. Div. Cle- of Cout investi+atin+ an ',ecutive Cle- of Cout.= but onl" to the Distict
/u#+e, the Cout $#ministato o the Chief /ustice, an# voice# the suspicion that the Resolution
!as the esult of a <ston+ lin-= bet!een Ms. $la!i an# $tt". Maasi+an0s office. He also avee#
that the complaint ha# no factual basis1 $la!i !as envious of him fo bein+ not onl" <the
',ecutive Cle- of Cout an# e,>officio Povincial Sheiff an# Distict Re+ista.= but also <ascion
of a Royal Family . . .= 4
In a subse;uent lette to $tt". Maasi+an, but this time in much less a++essive, even obse;uious
tones, .$lau"a e;ueste# the fome to +ive him a cop" of the complaint in o#e that he mi+ht
comment theeon. / He state# that his acts as cle- of cout !ee #one in +oo# faith an# !ithin
the confines of the la!1 an# that Sophia $la!i, as sales a+ent of Villaosa ) Co. ha#, b" falsif"in+
his si+natue, fau#ulentl" boun# him to a housin+ loan contact entailin+ monthl" #e#uctions of
P.,@@@.3B fom his sala".
$n# in his comment theeafte submitte# un#e #ate of /une 4, 355D, $lau"a conten#e# that it
!as he !ho ha# suffee# <un#ue in:u", mental an+uish, sleepless ni+hts, !oun#e# feelin+s an#
untol# financial suffein+,= consi#ein+ that in si, months, a total of PCD,BCA.DB ha# been
#e#ucte# fom his sala". 7 He #eclae# that thee !as no basis fo the complaint1 in
communicatin+ !ith Villaosa ) Co. he ha# meel" acte# in #efense of his i+hts. He #enie# an"
abuse of the fan-in+ pivile+e, sa"in+ that he +ave PCB.BB plus tanspotation fae to a
subo#inate !hom he entuste# !ith the mailin+ of cetain lettes1 that the !o#s6 <Free Postage
PD 26,= !ee t"pe!itten on the envelope b" some othe peson, an avement cooboate# b"
the affi#avit of $bsamen C. Domocao, Cle- IV %subscibe# an# s!on to befoe espon#ent
himself, an# attache# to the comment as $nne, /&1 0 an# as fa as he -ne!, his subo#inate
maile# the lettes !ith the use of the mone" he ha# +iven fo posta+e, an# if those lettes !ee
in#ee# mi,e# !ith the official mail of the cout, this ha# occue# ina#vetentl" an# because of an
honest mista-e. 9
$lau"a :ustifie# his use of the title, <attone",= b" the assetion that it is <le,icall" s"non"mous=
!ith <Counsellos>at>la!.= a title to !hich Shai0a la!"es have a i+htful claim, a##in+ that he
pefes the title of <attone"= because <counsello= is often mista-en fo <councilo,= <konsehal= o
the Maanao tem <consial,= connotin+ a local le+islato behol#en to the ma"o. 8ithal, he #oes
not consi#e himself a la!"e.
He plea#s fo the Cout0s compassion, alle+in+ that !hat he #i# <is e,pecte# of an" man un#ul"
pe:u#ice# an# in:ue#.= 11 He claims he !as manipulate# into eposin+ his tust in $la!i, a
classmate an# fien#. 11 He !as in#uce# to si+n a blan- contact on $la!i0s assuance that she
!oul# sho! the complete# #ocument to him late fo coection, but she ha# since avoi#e# him1
#espite <numeous lettes an# follo!>ups= he still #oes not -no! !hee the popet" G sub:ect of
his suppose# a+eement !ith $la!i0s pincipal, Villaosa ) Co. G is situate#1 12 He sa"s $la!i
someho! +ot his ?SIS polic" fom his !ife, an# althou+h she pomise# to etun it the ne,t #a",
she #i# not #o so until afte seveal months. He also claims that in connection !ith his contact
!ith Villaosa ) Co., $la!i fo+e# his si+natue on such petinent #ocuments as those e+a#in+
the #o!n pa"ment, cleaance, la">out, eceipt of the -e" of the house, sala" #e#uction, none of
!hich he eve sa!.1-
$vein+ in fine that his acts in ;uestion !ee #one !ithout malice, $lau"a pa"s fo the #ismissal
of the complaint fo lac- of meit, it consistin+ of <fallacious, malicious an# baseless alle+ations.=
an# complainant $la!i havin+ come to the Cout !ith unclean han#s, he complicit" in the
fau#ulent housin+ loan bein+ appaent an# #emonstable.
It ma" be mentione# that in contast to his t!o %C& lettes to $ssistant Cle- of Cout Maasi+an
%#ate# $pil 35, 355D an# $pil CC, 355D&, an# his t!o %C& ealie lettes both #ate# Decembe 34,
355D G all of !hich he si+ne# as <Atty. $sha" M. $lau"a= G in his Comment of /une 4, 355D, he
#oes not use the title but efes to himself as <DATU $SH$RH M. $*$FH$.<
The Cout efee# the case to the Office of the Cout $#ministato fo evaluation, epot an#
ecommen#ation.14
The fist accusation a+ainst $lau"a is that in his afoesai# lettes, he ma#e <malicious an#
libelous cha+es %a+ainst $la!i& !ith no soli# +oun#s thou+h manifest i+noance an# evi#ent
ba# faith, esultin+ in <un#ue in:u" to %he& an# blemishin+ he hono an# establishe# eputation.=
In those lettes, $lau"a ha# !itten inter alia that6
3& $la!i obtaine# his consent to the contacts in ;uestion <b" +oss misepesentation, #eceit,
fau#, #ishonest" an# abuse of confi#ence1=
C& $la!i acte# in ba# faith an# pepetate# . . . ille+al an# unauthoi9e# acts . . . pe:u#icial to . .
%his& i+hts an# inteests1=
@& $la!i !as an <unscupulous %an# <s!in#lin+=& sales a+ent= !ho ha# foole# him b" <#eceit,
fau#, misepesentation, #ishonest" an# abuse of confi#ence1= an#
.& $la!i ha# maliciousl" an# fau#ulentl" manipulate# the contact !ith Villaosa ) Co., an#
unla!full" secue# an# pusue# the housin+ loan !ithout . . %his& authoit" an# a+ainst . . %his&
!ill,= an# <conceale# the eal facts . . .=
$lau"a0s #efense essentiall" is that in ma-in+ these statements, he !as meel" actin+ in #efense
of his i+hts, an# #oin+ onl" !hat <is e,pecte# of an" man un#ul" pe:u#ice# an# in:ue#,= !ho
ha# suffee# <mental an+uish, sleepless ni+hts, !oun#e# feelin+s an# untol# financial suffein+,
consi#ein+ that in si, months, a total of PCD,BCA.DB ha# been #e#ucte# fom his sala". 1.
The Co#e of Con#uct an# 'thical Stan#a#s fo Public Officials an# 'mplo"ees %R$ DI3@& inter
alia enunciates the State polic" of pomotin+ a hi+h stan#a# of ethics an# utmost esponsibilit" in
the public sevice. 1/ Section . of the Co#e comman#s that <%p&ublic officials an# emplo"ees . . at
all times espect the i+hts of othes, an# . . efain fom #oin+ acts conta" to la!, +oo# moals,
+oo# customs, public polic", public o#e, public safet" an# public inteest.= 17 Moe than once
has this Cout emphasi9e# that <the con#uct an# behavio of eve" official an# emplo"ee of an
a+enc" involve# in the a#ministation of :ustice, fom the pesi#in+ :u#+e to the most :unio cle-,
shoul# be cicumscibe# !ith the heav" bu#en of esponsibilit". Thei con#uct must at all times
be chaactei9e# b", amon+ othes, stict popiet" an# #ecoum so as to ean an# -eep the
espect of the public fo the :u#icia".= 10
No!, it #oes not appea to the Cout consistent !ith +oo# moals, +oo# customs o public polic",
o espect fo the i+hts of othes, to couch #enunciations of acts believe# G ho!eve sinceel"
G to be #eceitful, fau#ulent o malicious, in e,cessivel" intempeate, insultin+ o viulent
lan+ua+e. $lau"a is evi#entl" convince# that he has a i+ht of action a+ainst Sophia $la!i. The
la! e;uies that he e,ecise that i+ht !ith popiet", !ithout malice o vin#ictiveness, o un#ue
ham to an"one1 in a manne consistent !ith +oo# moals, +oo# customs, public polic", public
o#e, supra1 o othe!ise state#, that he <act !ith :ustice, +ive eve"one his #ue, an# obseve
honest" an# +oo#
faith.= 19 Ri+hteous in#i+nation, o vin#ication of i+ht cannot :ustif" esot to vitupeative
lan+ua+e, o #o!ni+ht name>callin+. $s a membe of the Shai0a (a an# an office of a Cout,
$la!i is sub:ect to a stan#a# of con#uct moe stin+ent than fo most othe +ovenment !o-es.
$s a man of the la!, he ma" not use lan+ua+e !hich is abusive, offensive, scan#alous,
menacin+, o othe!ise impope. 21 $s a :u#icial emplo"ee, it is e,pecte# that he acco# espect
fo the peson an# the i+hts of othes at all times, an# that his eve" act an# !o# shoul# be
chaactei9e# b" pu#ence, estaint, coutes", #i+nit". His a#ical #eviation fom these saluta"
noms mi+ht pehaps be miti+ate#, but cannot be e,cuse#, b" his ston+l" hel# conviction that he
ha# been +ievousl" !on+e#.
$s e+a#s $lau"a0s use of the title of <$ttone",= this Cout has alea#" ha# occasion to #eclae
that pesons !ho pass the Shai0a (a ae not full>fle#+e# membes of the Philippine (a, hence
ma" onl" pactice la! befoe Shai0a couts. 21 8hile one !ho has been a#mitte# to the Shai0a
(a, an# one !ho has been a#mitte# to the Philippine (a, ma" both be consi#ee# <counsellos,=
in the sense that the" +ive counsel o a#vice in a pofessional capacit", onl" the latte is an
<attone".= The title of <attone"= is eseve# to those !ho, havin+ obtaine# the necessa" #e+ee
in the stu#" of la! an# successfull" ta-en the (a ',aminations, have been a#mitte# to the
Inte+ate# (a of the Philippines an# emain membes theeof in +oo# stan#in+1 an# it is the"
onl" !ho ae authoi9e# to pactice la! in this :uis#iction.
$lau"a sa"s he #oes not !ish to use the title, <counsello= o <counsello>at>la!, = because in his
e+ion, thee ae pe:oative connotations to the tem, o it is confusin+l" simila to that +iven to
local le+islatos. The atiocination, vali# o not, is of no moment. His #isinclination to use the title
of <counsello= #oes not !aant his use of the title of attone".
2inall", espectin+ $lau"a0s alle+e# unauthoi9e# use of the fan-in+ pivile+e, 22 the eco#
contains no evi#ence a#e;uatel" establishin+ the accusation.
8H'R'2OR', espon#ent $shai M. $lau"a is heeb" R'PRIM$ND'D fo the use of
e,cessivel" intempeate, insultin+ o viulent lan+ua+e, i.e., lan+ua+e unbecomin+ a :u#icial
office, an# fo usupin+ the title of attone"1 an# he is !ane# that an" simila o othe impopiet"
o miscon#uct in the futue !ill be #ealt !ith moe seveel".
SO ORD'R'D