FIRST DIVISION

FELIPE E. ABELLA,
Complainant,




- versus -




ATTY. ASTERIA E. CRUZABRA,
Respondent.
A.C. No. 5688

Present:

PUNO, C.J., Cairperson,
C!RPIO,
CORON!,
"#ON!RDO-D# C!STRO, and
$#RS!%IN, JJ.


Promul&ated:
June 4, 2009
' - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - '


R E S O L U T I O N


CARPIO, J.

Felipe #. !(ella )*omplainant+ ,iled a *omplaint ,or violation o, Canon - o,
te Code o, Pro,essional Responsi(ilit. and Se*tion /)(+)0+ o, Repu(li* !*t No.
1/-2
-
3-4 )R! 1/-2+ or te Code o, Condu*t and #ti*al Standards ,or Pu(li*
O,,i*ials and #mplo.ees a&ainst !tt.. !steria #. Cru5a(ra )respondent+. In is
a,,idavit-*omplaint
0
304 dated 6 %a. 0770, *omplainant *ar&ed respondent 8it
en&a&in& in private pra*ti*e 8ile emplo.ed in te &overnment servi*e.

Complainant alle&ed tat respondent 8as admitted to te Pilippine $ar on
27 %a. -961 and 8as appointed as Deput. Re&ister o, Deeds o, :eneral Santos
Cit. on -- !u&ust -96/.
2
324 Complainant asserted tat as Deput. Re&ister o,
Deeds, respondent ,iled a petition ,or *ommission as a notar. pu(li* and 8as
*ommissioned on 09 Fe(ruar. -966 8itout o(tainin& prior autorit. ,rom te
Se*retar. o, te Department o, ;usti*e )DO;+.
<
3<4 Complainant *laimed tat
1[1] An Act Establishing a Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Ofcials and
Employees, to phold the !ime"#onored Principle of Public Ofce $eing a Public !rust,
%ranting &ncenti'es and (e)ards for E*emplary Ser'ice, Enumerating Prohibited Acts
and !ransactions and Pro'iding Penalties for +iolations !hereof and ,or Other Purposes,
-. ,ebruary 1/0/1
0304 Rollo, pp. --0.
2324 Id. at <26.
<3<4 Id. at <29.
respondent as notari5ed some 2,777 do*uments.
=
3=4 Complainant pointed out tat
respondent onl. stopped notari5in& do*uments 8en se 8as reprimanded (. te
Cie, o, te Investi&ation Division o, te "and Re&istration !utorit..
1
314

Complainant *ontended tat respondent *ould not >usti,. er a*t (.
pretendin& to (e in &ood ,ait (e*ause even non-la8.ers are not e'*used ,rom
i&noran*e o, te la8. Complainant (randed as in*redi(le respondent?s *laim tat
se 8as merel. motivated (. pu(li* servi*e in notari5in& 2,777 do*uments.
Complainant pointed out tat respondent spent mone. to (u. te Notarial Re&ister
$oo@s and spent ours &oin& over te do*uments su(s*ri(ed (e,ore er, tere(.
pre>udi*in& er e,,i*ien*. and per,orman*e as Deput. Re&ister o, Deeds.
Complainant (elieved tat even i, respondent ad o(tained autorit. ,rom te
DO;, respondent 8ould still (e &uilt. o, violatin& Se*tion /)(+)0+ o, R! 1/-2
(e*ause er pra*ti*e as a notar. pu(li* *on,li*ts 8it er o,,i*ial ,un*tions.
/
3/4

In er Comment, respondent admitted tat se 8as a notar. pu(li* ,rom 09
Fe(ruar. -966 to 2- De*em(er -969.
6
364 Respondent stated tat se 8as
autori5ed (. er superior, te Re&ister o, Deeds, to a*t as a notar. pu(li*.
Respondent pointed out tat te Re&ister o, Deeds, !tt.. Pela&io T. Tolosa, also
su(s*ri(ed petitions and do*uments tat 8ere reAuired to (e re&istered.
9
394
=3=4 Id. at <<7.
1314 Id. at <29.
/3/4 Id. at <<7-<<-.
6364 Id. at <6/.
9394 Id. at <<.
Respondent e'plained tat te Re&ister o, Deeds imposed te ,ollo8in& *onditions
,or er appli*ation as a notar. pu(li*:

' ' '
<. Tat te appli*ation ,or *ommission 8as on te *ondition tat respondent
*annot *ar&e ,ees ,or do*uments reAuired (. te O,,i*e to (e presented and
under oat.
-7
3-74


Respondent *ontended tat 8en se ,iled er petition ,or *ommission as a
notar. pu(li*, te reAuirement o, approval ,rom te DO; Se*retar. 8as still te
su(>e*t o, a pendin& Auer. (. one o, te Re&istrars and tis ,a*t 8as not @no8n to
respondent.
--
3--4 Respondent maintained tat se ad no intention to violate an.
rule o, la8. Respondent, as a ne8 la8.er rel.in& on te *ompeten*e o, er
superior, admitted tat an onest mista@e ma. ave (een *ommitted (ut su*
mista@e 8as *ommitted 8itout 8ill,ulness, mali*e or *orruption.
-0
3-04

Respondent ar&ued tat se 8as not en&a&ed in ille&al pra*ti*e as a notar.
pu(li* (e*ause se 8as dul. *ommissioned (. te *ourt.
-2
3-24 Respondent denied
tat se violated Se*tion /)(+)0+ o, R! 1/-2 (e*ause se 8as autori5ed (. er
superior to a*t as a notar. pu(li*. Respondent reasoned tat er (ein& a notar.
pu(li* *omplemented er ,un*tions as Deput. Re&ister o, Deeds (e*ause
-73-74 Id. at <=.
--3--4 Id. at <6/.
-03-04 Id. at </.
-23-24 Id. at <61-<6/.
respondent *ould immediatel. ave do*uments notari5ed instead o, te re&istrants
&oin& out o, te o,,i*e to loo@ ,or a notar. pu(li*. Respondent added tat se did
not *ar&e ,ees ,or te do*uments reAuired (. te o,,i*e to (e presented under
oat.
-<
3-<4
Respondent insisted tat *ontrar. to *omplainant?s *laims, se onl.
notari5ed -2= do*uments as *erti,ied (. te Cler@ o, Court o, te --
t
;udi*ial
Re&ion, :eneral Santos Cit..
-=
3-=4

In er Report and Re*ommendation )Report+ dated 0= ;anuar. 077=,
Investi&atin& Commissioner ".dia !. Navarro re*ommended to te I$P $oard o,
:overnors te dismissal o, te *omplaint a&ainst respondent ,or la*@ o, merit. Te
Report reads in part:
Bo8ever, te ,a*t tat se applied ,or *ommission as Notar. Pu(li*
8itout se*urin& te approval o, te proper autorit. altou& se 8as allo8ed to
do so (. er superior o,,i*er, 8as not er o8n undoin& ,or avin& relied on te
ample autorit. o, er superior o,,i*er, respondent (ein& a neop.te in te la8
pro,ession ,or avin& ne8l. passed te (ar a .ear a,ter at tat time.
Re*ords ,urter so8ed tat a,ter avin& (een reprimanded (. !tt..
Flestado ,or said mista@e 8i* 8as done in &ood ,ait respondent *eased and
desisted to per,orm notarial 8or@ sin*e ten up to te present as *ould (e &leaned
,rom te Certi,i*ation issued (. Cler@ o, Court VI !tt.. #lmer D. "astimosa o,
te --
t
;udi*ial Re&ion :eneral Santos Cit.C dated De*em(er 02, 077< tat -2=
do*uments ave (een notari5ed (. te respondent ,rom Fe(ruar. 09, -966 to
De*em(er 2- -969 and tere 8as no re*ord o, an. notari5ed do*uments ,rom
;anuar. -9, -997 to De*em(er 0-, -99-.
-1
3-14
-<3-<4 Id. at <6/.
-=3-=4 Id.

In a Resolution dated -0 %ar* 077=, te I$P $oard o, :overnors, in
adoptin& and approvin& te Report, dismissed te *ase ,or la*@ o, merit.
Complainant *laims tat in dismissin& te *omplaint ,or Dla*@ o, meritE
despite respondent?s admission tat se a*ted as a notar. pu(li* ,or t8o .ears, te
I$P $oard o, :overnors *ommitted a serious error amountin& to la*@ o,
>urisdi*tion or autorit..
-/
3-/4


Se*tion /)(+)0+ o, R! 1/-2 provides:

Se*tion /. Prohibited Acts and Transactions. - In addition to a*ts and omissions o,
pu(li* o,,i*ials and emplo.ees no8 pres*ri(ed in te Constitution and e'istin&
la8s, te ,ollo8in& sall *onstitute proi(ited a*ts and transa*tions o, an. pu(li*
o,,i*ial and emplo.ee and are ere(. de*lared to (e unla8,ul:
' ' '
)(+ Outside emplo.ment and oter a*tivities related tereto. - Pu(li*
o,,i*ials and emplo.ees durin& teir in*um(en*. sall not:
' ' '
)0+ #n&a&e in te private pra*ti*e o, teir pro,ession unless
autori5ed (. te Constitution or la8, provided, tat su* pra*ti*e
8ill not *on,li*t or tend to *on,li*t 8it teir o,,i*ial ,un*tionsC or
' ' '
-13-14 Id. at <2--<20.
-/3-/4 Id. at <27.

%emorandum Cir*ular No. -/
-6
3-64 o, te #'e*utive Department allo8s
&overnment emplo.ees to en&a&e dire*tl. in te private pra*ti*e o, teir pro,ession
provided tere is a 8ritten permission ,rom te Department ead. It provides:

Te autorit. to &rant permission to an. o,,i*ial or emplo.ee sall (e
&ranted (. te ead o, te ministr. or a&en*. in a**ordan*e 8it Se*tion -0, Rule
FVIII o, te Revised Civil Servi*e Rules, 8i* provides:
DSe*. -0. No o,,i*er or emplo.ee sall en&a&e dire*tl. in
an. private (usiness, vo*ation, or pro,ession or (e *onne*ted 8it
an. *ommer*ial, *redit, a&ri*ultural, or industrial underta@in&
8itout ! "#$%%en &e#'$(($on )#o' %*e *e!+ o) ,e&!#%'en%C
Provided, Tat tis proi(ition 8ill (e a(solute in te *ase o, tose
o,,i*ers and emplo.ees 8ose duties and responsi(ilities reAuire
tat teir entire time (e at te disposal o, te :overnment:
Provided, ,urter, Tat i, an emplo.ee is &ranted permission to
en&a&e in outside a*tivities, te time so devoted outside o, o,,i*e
ours sould (e ,i'ed (. te *ie, o, te a&en*. to te end tat it
8ill not impair in an. 8a. te e,,i*ien*. o, te oter o,,i*er or
emplo.ee: !nd provided, ,inall., Tat no permission is ne*essar.
in te *ase o, investments, made (. an o,,i*er or emplo.ee, 8i*
do not involve an. real or apparent *on,li*t (et8een is private
interests and pu(li* duties, or in an. 8a. in,luen*e im in te
dis*ar&e o, is duties, and e sall not ta@e part in te
mana&ement o, te enterprise or (e*ome an o,,i*er or mem(er o,
te (oard o, dire*torsE,
Su(>e*t to an. additional *onditions 8i* te ead o, te o,,i*e deems ne*essar.
in ea* parti*ular *ase in te interest o, te servi*e, as e'pressed in te various
issuan*es o, te Civil Servi*e Commission. )$old,a*in& supplied+
It is *lear tat 8en respondent ,iled er petition ,or *ommission as a notar.
pu(li*, se did not o(tain a 8ritten permission ,rom te Se*retar. o, te DO;.
-63-64 Revo@in& %emorandum Cir*ular No. -70= dated 0= Novem(er -9// DProi(itin& !n.
:overnment O,,i*ial and #mplo.ee From !**eptin& Private #mplo.ment in !n. Capa*it.
Gitout Prior !utorit. o, Te O,,i*e o, te President.E Issued on < Septem(er -961.
Respondent?s superior, te Re&ister o, Deeds, *annot issue an. autori5ation
(e*ause e is not te ead o, te Department. !nd even assumin& tat te Re&ister
o, Deeds autori5ed er, respondent ,ailed to present an. proo, o, tat 8ritten
permission. Respondent *annot ,ei&n i&noran*e or &ood ,ait (e*ause respondent
,iled er petition ,or *ommission as a notar. pu(li* a,ter %emorandum Cir*ular
No. -/ 8as issued in -961.

In Yumol, Jr. v. Ferrer Sr.,
-9
3-94 8e suspended a la8.er emplo.ed in te
Commission on Buman Ri&ts )CBR+ ,or ,ailin& to o(tain a 8ritten autorit. and
approval 8it a dul. approved leave o, a(sen*e ,rom te CBR. Ge e'plained:

Cr.stal *lear ,rom te ,ore&oin& is te ,a*t tat private pra*ti*e o, la8 (.
CBR la8.ers is not a matter o, ri&t. !ltou& te Commission allo8s CBR
la8.ers to en&a&e in private pra*ti*e, a 8ritten reAuest and approval tereo,, 8it
a dul. approved leave o, a(sen*e ,or tat matter are indispensa(le. In te *ase at
(ar, te re*ord is (ere,t o, an. su* 8ritten reAuest or dul. approved leave o,
a(sen*e. No 8ritten autorit. nor approval o, te pra*ti*e and approved leave o,
a(sen*e (. te CBR 8as ever presented (. respondent. Tus, e *annot en&a&e in
private pra*ti*e.
!s to respondent?s a*t o, notari5in& do*uments, re*ords so8 tat e
applied ,or *ommission as notar. pu(li* on -< Novem(er 0777, (e,ore te
Re&ional Trial Court )RTC+ o, San Fernando, Pampan&a, $ran* <0. Tis 8as
&ranted (. RTC #'e*utive ;ud&e Pedro %. Sun&a, ;r., on 7- De*em(er 0777.
Bo8ever, te CBR autori5ed respondent to a*t as notar. pu(li* onl. on 09
O*to(er 077-. Considerin& te a*ts o, notari5ation are 8itin te am(it o, te
term Dpra*ti*e o, la8,E ,or 8i* a prior 8ritten reAuest and approval (. te CBR
to en&a&e into it are reAuired, te *ru*ial period to (e *onsidered is te approval
o, te CBR on 09 O*to(er 077- and not te approval o, te RTC on 7< De*em(er
0777.
07
3074
-93-94 !.C. No. 1=6=, 0- !pril 077=, <=1 SCR! </=.
07 3074 Id. at <66-<69.
In Muring, Jr. v. Gatcho,
0-
30-4 8e suspended a la8.er ,or avin& ,iled
petitions ,or *ommission as a notar. pu(li* 8ile emplo.ed as a *ourt attorne..
Ge eld:

!tt.. :at*o sould ave @no8n tat as a &overnment la8.er, e 8as
proi(ited ,rom en&a&in& in notarial pra*ti*e, or in an. ,orm o, private le&al
pra*ti*e ,or tat matter. !tt.. :at*o *annot no8 ,ei&n i&noran*e or &ood ,ait, as
e did not see@ to e'*ulpate imsel, (. providin& an e'planation ,or is error.
!tt.. :at*o?s ,ilin& o, te petition ,or *ommission, 8ile not an a*tual
en&a&ement in te pra*ti*e o, la8, appears as a ,urtive attempt to evade te
proi(ition.
00
3004
Under te Uni,orm Rules on !dministrative Cases in te Civil Servi*e,
en&a&in& in te private pra*ti*e o, pro,ession, 8en unautori5ed, is *lassi,ied as a
li&t o,,ense punisa(le (. reprimand.
02
3024

-.EREFORE, 8e ,ind !tt.. !steria #. Cru5a(ra &uilt. o, en&a&in& in
notarial pra*ti*e 8itout te 8ritten autorit. ,rom te Se*retar. o, te
Department o, ;usti*e, and a**ordin&l. 8e REPRI/AN, er. Se is 8arned tat
a repetition o, te same or similar a*t in te ,uture sall merit a more severe
san*tion.

SO OR,ERE,.
0- 30-4 !.%. No. C!-7=--9-P, 2- !u&ust 0771, =77 SCR! 227.
00 3004 Id. at 2<6-2<9.
02 3024 Se*tion =0, Rule IV. Resolution No. 99-921 o, te Civil Servi*e Commission,
e,,e*tive 01 Septem(er -999.

ANTONIO T. CARPIO
!sso*iate ;usti*e

-E CONCUR:




REYNATO S. PUNO
Cie, ;usti*e
Cairperson





RENATO C. CORONA TERESITA J. LEONAR,O0,E CASTRO
!sso*iate ;usti*e !sso*iate ;usti*e



LUCAS P. BERSA/IN
!sso*iate ;usti*e