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Daniel Mortera, et al. vs Atty. Renato B. Pagatpatan.

DANIEL MORTERA, TERESITA MORTERA, FERDINAND MORTERA and LEO MORTERA, Complainants, versus ATTY. RENATO B. PAGATPATAN, Respondent.

A.C. No. 4562 | 2005-06-15

R E S O L U T I O N 


CORONA, J.: 

How far may a lawyer go to ensure that he gets paid? 

The answer to this question is stated clearly in Canon 16 of the Code of Professional Responsibility for Lawyers[1] and in decisions[2] applying the same, but it is apparently not plain enough to the respondent in this case. It therefore behooves us to make an example of him for the improvement of the legal profession. 

This disbarment case originated from the execution of a judgment in a civil action for "rescission of contracts with a prayer for prohibitory mandatory injunction."[3] 

In brief, the complainants, then the...