The Supreme Court disbarred a lawyer for abandoning his family, cohabiting with another woman, and flaunting their illicit relationship publicly.
The SC emphasized that lawyers are expected to be “honorable and reliable at all times,” upholding their oath as members of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).
The lawyer’s actions, the court stated, violated the fundamental ethical canons expected of legal professionals, constituting “grossly immoral conduct.”
The disbarment stems from a complaint filed by the lawyer’s wife in 2016. She alleged that her husband, despite their existing marriage and child, abandoned them, lived with another woman, and even posted their relationship on social media.
Despite attempts by the wife and her family to reconcile, the lawyer remained unresponsive and continued his relationship with his mistress. He married his concubine in 2015. Evidence presented included marriage certificates, social media posts, and witness testimonies.
The IBP Commission on Bar Discipline initially recommended disbarment, which was later modified by the IBP Board of Governors to an indefinite suspension and a P20,000 fine. However, the SC, upon reviewing the case, ultimately imposed the harshest penalty.
The SC decision highlighted the lawyer’s disregard for his marital vows and social responsibilities. His actions, the court stated, “seriously taint his sense of social propriety and moral values” and demonstrate a “blatant disregard of our laws on marriage.”
“Jurisprudence abounds with iterations that a married lawyer’s abandonment of his spouse in order to live and cohabit with another constitutes gross immorality. The offense may even be criminal, amounting to concubinage or adultery,” the high court said.
The case serves as a reminder of the high ethical standards expected from lawyers. Their professional conduct extends beyond legal practice, encompassing personal behavior that upholds the integrity and dignity of the legal profession.
