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A.C.No.

10303April22,2015

JOYA.GIMENO,Complainant,
vs.
ATTY.PAULCENTILLASZAIDE,Respondent

FACTS:OnAugust8,2007,complainantJoyA.Gimeno(Cimeno)filedacomplaint 3withthe
IBP's Commission on Bar Discipline, charging Atty. Zaide with: (1) usurpation of a notary
public'soffice;(2)falsification;(3)useofintemperate,offensiveandabusivelanguage;and(4)
violationoflawyerclienttrust.Inhercomplaint,GimenoallegedthatevenbeforeAtty.Zaide's
admissionto the Bar and receipt of his notarial commission, he had notarized a partial
extrajudicialpartitionwithdeedofabsolutesaleonMarch29,2002.ShealsoaccusedAtty.Zaide
ofmakingfalseandirregularentriesinhisnotarialregisters.

OnOctober4,2007,theIBPCBDissuedanordersettingthecaseformandatoryconference.
Commissioner Pedro A. Magpayo, Jr. (Commissioner Magpayo) found Atty. Zaide
administrativelyliableforviolatingtheNotarialPracticeRules,representingconflictinginterests,
andusingabusiveandinsultinglanguageinhispleadings.

HenotedthatAtty.ZaideviolatedSection1(a)and1(b),RuleVIoftheNotarialPracticeRules
when he maintained several active notarial registers in different offices. These provisions
respectivelyrequireanotarypublicto"keep,maintain,protectandprovideforlawfulinspection,
achronologicalofficialregisterofnotarialactsconsistingofapermanentlyboundbookwith
numberedpapers"andto"keeponlyoneactivenotarialregisteratanygiventime.

Finally,theinvestigatingcommissionernotedthatAtty.Zaideusedintemperate,offensive,and
abusivelanguagewhenhecalledGimenoa"notoriousextortionist"inoneofhispleadings.

ISSUE: Whether or not Atty. Zaide violated Section 1(a) and 1(b), Rule VI of the Notarial
Practice Rules when he maintained several active notarial registers in different offices and
violatedNotarialPracticeRules.
HELD: YES. TheNotarialPracticeRulesstrictlyrequiresanotarypublictomaintainonlyone
(1) active notarial register andensure that the entries in it are chronologically arranged. The
oneactive notarial register rule is in place to deter a notary public from assigning several
notarialregiterstodifferentofficesmannedbyassistantswhoperformnotarialservicesonhis
behalf.

Sinceanotarialcommissionispersonaltoeachlawyer,thenotarypublicmustalsopersonally
administerthenotarialacts29thatthelawauthorizeshimtoexecute.Thisimportantdutyisvested
withpublicinterest.Thus,nootherperson,otherthanthenotarypublic,shouldperformit.

ThisCourtstressesthatanotarypublicshouldnottrivializehisfunctionsashispowersandduties
areimpressedwithpublicinterest. ANotarypublic'sofficeisnotmerelyanincomegenerating
venture. It is a public duty that each lawyer who has been privileged to receive a notarial
commissionmustfaithfullyandconscientiouslyperform.
Atty.Zaideshouldhavebeenacutelyawareoftherequirementsofhisnotarialcommission.His
flagrantviolationofSection1,RuleVIoftheNotarialPracticeRulesisnotmerelyasimpleand
excusablenegligence.ItamountstoaclearviolationofCanon1oftheCodeofProfessional
Responsibility,whichprovidesthat"alawyer[should]upholdtheconstitution,obeythelawsof
the land and promote respect for law and legal processes." The prohibition on the use of
intemperate,offensiveandabusivelanguageinalawyer'sprofessionaldealings,whetherwiththe
courts,hisclients,oranyotherperson,isbasedonthefollowingcanonsandrulesoftheCodeof
ProfessionalResponsibility:

Canon8Alawyershallconducthimselfwithcourtesy,fairnessandcandortowardhis
professionalcolleagues,andshallavoidharassingtacticsagainstopposingcounsel.

Rule 8.01 A lawyer shall not, in his professional dealings, use language which is
abusive,offensiveorotherwiseimproper.

Canon11Alawyershallobserveandmaintaintherespectduetothecourtsandto
judicialofficersandshouldinsistonsimilarconductbyothers.

Rule11.03Alawyershallabstainfromscandalous,offensiveormenacinglanguageor
behaviorbeforetheCourts.(emphasissupplied)

Asshownintherecord,Atty.Zaide,inthereplythathedraftedintheOmbudsmancase,called
Gimenoa"notoriousextortionist."Andinanothercase,GimenoobservedthatAtty.Zaideused
the following demeaning and immoderate language in presenting his comment against his
opposingcounsel.

HerdeclarationinPublicputashame,DISGRACE,INDIGNITYANDHUMILIATIONinthe
wholeJusticeSystem,andtheDepartmentofJusticeinparticular,wherethetaxpayerspaidfor
her salary over her incompetence and poor performance as a prosecutor...This is a clear
manifestation that the Public prosecutor suffers serious mental incompetence as regard her
mandateasanAssistantCityProsecutor.35(emphasissupplied)

ThisclearlyconfirmsAtty.Zaide'slackofrestraintintheuseandchoiceofhiswordsaconduct
unbecomingofanofficerofthecourt.

Whilealawyerisentitledtopresenthiscasewithvigorandcourage,suchenthusiasmdoesnot
justifytheuseofoffensiveandabusivelanguage.Languageaboundswithcountlesspossibilities
foronetobeemphaticbutrespectful,convincingbutnotderogatory,andilluminatingbutnot
offensive.36

On many occasions, the Court has reminded the members of the Bar to abstain from any
offensivepersonalityandtorefrainfromanyactprejudicialtothehonororreputationofaparty
orawitness.Inkeepingwiththedignityofthelegalprofession,alawyer'slanguageeveninhis
pleadings,mustbedignified.

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