(Where You Stand on the Issue #1) ATTY. REYES JR.

COMMITTED GROSS IMMORALITY (Arguments Against You) (Arguments in Your Favor) Having been pardoned by his own wife, Atty. His wifes alleged act of forgiving him is Reyes should be given a chance to a clean immaterial; the fact of his indiscretion slate. amounting to gross immorality persists. More than anything else, Mrs. Reyess alleged statement in her text message is an open admission of the fact of her husbands illicit relationship. By forcing himself inside Marias car and by bringing her to a motel against her will, Atty. Reyes hardly showed remorse or even a slight willingness to end the illicit relationship. In offenses of this character, the blame Maria Joses admission of the relationship to hardly belongs to the man alone. her own husband speaks of her intention to come clean with him. Maria Joses actions (e.g., refusing to talk to him, retaliating against his advances in the car and in the motel) toward Atty. Reyes are positive indications that she wants to end their illicit relationship buttressed by the corroborated testimonies of her officemates. Atty. Reyess abrupt and unauthorized trip to the US and eventual resignation from office are proofs of their illicit relationship (Appeal to Your Readers Good Sense) It is but fair to apply the sanctions provided by law when a person has transgressed it. Forgiveness coming from a third person, even if it is from an aggrieved dutiful wife, does not wipe out a transgressors liabilities.

(Where You Stand on the Issue #2) ATTY. REYES JR. GROSSLY VIOLATED ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER NO. 99-12-08-SC (Arguments Against You) Atty. Reyes applied for a leave of absence before leaving for the US. (Arguments in Your Favor) Approval of the LOA is necessary; Atty. Reyes absented himself from the office even without his LOAs proper approval. It is expected from a dutiful government employee, much less a lawyer, to know that an official order of travel is needed before leaving the country; Lacking this, Atty. Reyes still pursued his foreign travel. Atty. Reyess intentional omission of declaring himself as a government employee is clearly calculated to deceive the inspecting officer from asking for his Travel Authority.

(Appeal to Your Readers Good Sense) Atty. Reyes, having knowledge of the requirements of Administrative Matter No. 99-12-08SC, still opted to brush those aside before leaving the country. This amounts to gross violation.

(Where You Stand on the Issue #3) ATTY. REYES JR. FALSIFIED HIS TRAVEL DOCUMENTS AND MISREPRESENTED HIMSELF (Arguments Against You) It is without malice that Atty. Reyes did not declare his status as a government employee in the embarkation card for a nonwork related trip abroad (i.e., personal trip). (Arguments in Your Favor) By intentionally non-declaring himself as a government employee, Atty. Reyes deceived the inspecting officer from asking for his Travel Authority in a calculated and wellthought out manner and therefore acted with malice.

(Appeal to Your Readers Good Sense) The facts at hand clearly indicate that Atty. Reyes intentionally falsified information and misrepresented himself to circumvent established rules and to effectively evade the law.