Thursday, September 25, 2008
Cut it out, Bolo asks ‘lawyer’
A MEMBER of the Cebu Provincial Board (PB) yesterday asked the court to hold a man “assuming to be a lawyer” in contempt for appearing in a case he filed and arguing for the other side.
Board Member Juan Bolo, in a petition addressed to Municipal Trial Court (MTC) Judge Rosabella Tormis, said that Francisco Pada also tried to mislead the court into believing the Supreme Court authorized his appearance.
“To protect the dignity and authority of the court... respondent Francisco Pada should be punished,” Bolo said in the suit yesterday.
He urged that the respondent be made to pay a fine or be imprisoned for at least a month.
Pada, a resident of Punta Princesa, Cebu City, had appeared twice in a perjury case that Bolo, in his personal capacity, had filed against Felicisima Cañon.
Prior to his appearances, Pada submitted two pleadings, one dated June 2 and another last Aug. 22, which moved for the inhibition of Judge Tormis, and hurled a barrage of accusations against the PB member.
Pada, in the pleading, cited him for supposedly violating established legal ethics, gross ignorance of the law, gross dishonesty, misconduct and the rules of notarial practice.
Tormis refused to recognize Pada’s legal standing even though Pada, in his June 2, 2008 pleading, referred to Bar Matter 1477, dated June 21, 2005, where the Supreme Court supposedly gave him clearance to appear.
He identified himself to the Supreme Court as a holder of a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of the Visayas, awarded March 8, 1985.
He likewise told the High Tribunal that he has completed phase one of the Cebu City Chapter Integrated Bar of the Philippines Clinical Legal Aid Education Program, and that he worked in various law firms after his graduation.
Pada showed up in Judge Tormis’ court again last Sept. 3 and “demanded to be present” for the hearing, as the accused could not appear.
Tormis then decided to simply issue a warrant of arrest even as Pada accused her of “cooperating with the plaintiff,” referring to Bolo, and argued that the court cannot refuse to acknowledge him because he is “the friend of the accused.”
Tormis ignored him. Bolo did not.
In his petition to hold Pada in indirect contempt yesterday, Bolo zoomed in on Pada’s June 21, 2005 pleading, saying it misled to court that Pada is “allowed to practice (law) and act as counsel.”
He said Bar Matter 1477 only referred to Pada’s request to appear as counsel in a civil case, Elizabeth Vercide vs. Sps. Virgilia B. Pada and Francisco Pada, before the Regional Trial Court.
“In that Supreme Court Resolution, respondent Francisco Pada is now even allowed to appear as counsel for his wife as the resolution specifically stated and emphasized that he can appear as counsel for himself only,” Bolo, a former criminal law professor at the University of San Carlos Law School, said. (KNR)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (September 25, 2008 issue)
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