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William Hector Maria vs. Atty. Wilfredo R. Cortez

WILLIAM HECTOR MARIA, Petitioners, vs. ATTY. WILFREDO R. CORTEZ, Respondents.

A.C. No. 7880 | 2012-04-11

SECOND DIVISION
D E C I S I O N
 
REYES, J.:
 
This is an administrative complaint[1] filed by William Hector Maria (William) against respondent Atty. Wilfredo R. Cortez for having notarized a Special Power of Attorney (SPA) without verifying the authenticity of the signatures contained therein in violation of the Notarial Law.
 
The factual antecedents are as follows:
 
Complainant William is a citizen of New Zealand, and married to Ernita Villanueva-Maria (Ernita) from Bio, Tagudin, Ilocos Sur.  Sometime in September 2005, the complainant and his wife Ernita (Spouses Maria) took a vacation in...