A.C. No. 10748 - RAMON GIL S. MACAPAGAL, COMPLAINANT, VS. ATTY. RICO V. DOMINGO, ATTY. STANLEY C. ZAMBARRANO, ATTY. JOSEPH M. DICHOSO, AND ATTY. LEOPOLDO D. AQUINO III.

Ruling

Accordingly, the Court imposes the following sanctions: (a) On Atty. Rico V. Domingo, SUSPENSION from the practice of law for a total period of four years is imposed for Gross Misconduct and Serious Dishonesty. A fine of PHP 35,000.00 is likewise imposed upon him for Simple Misconduct. (b) On Atty. Stanley C. Zambarrano, SUSPENSION from the practice of law for a period of six months and one day is imposed for Gross Misconduct. A fine of PHP 35,000.00 is likewise imposed for Simple Misconduct. (c) On Atty. Leopoldo Aquino III, SUSPENSION from the practice of law for a period of six months and one day is imposed for Gross Misconduct. (d) On Atty. Joseph M. Dichoso, a FINE of PHP 35,000.00 is imposed for Simple Misconduct. The Court likewise STERNLY WARNS the respondents that a repetition of the same or similar offense shall be dealt with more severely. The suspension from the practice of law shall take effect immediately upon receipt of the respondents of this [Resolution]. They are likewise DIRECTED to immediately file a Manifestation to the Court that their suspension has started, copy furnished all courts and quasi-judicial bodies where they have entered their appearance as counsels. Let copies of this Resolution be furnished to the Office of the Bar Confidant to be appended to the personal record of the respondents as attorneys; the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, both its national office and the local chapter to which the respondents belong, for its information and guidance; and the Office of the Court Administrator for circulation to all courts in the country." [2] The case stemmed from the Verified Complaint [3] filed by Ramon Gil S. Macapagal ( Macapagal ), then vice-president for corporate affairs of Unilever Philippines, Inc. ( Unilever ), on March 19, 2015, against Atty. Domingo et al., for malpractice, deceit, gross misconduct, and violation of the lawyer's oath. In the Resolution, [4] dated July 18, 2016, and Resolution, [5] dated November 9, 2016, the Court noted the submissions of the parties and referred the case to the Integrated Bar of the Philippines ( IBP ) for investigation, report and recommendation. Atty. Patrick M. Velez ( Atty. Velez ) was assigned as the Investigating Commissioner. The Report and Recommendation of the IBP In the Report and Recommendation [6] ( Report and Recommendation ), dated May 7, 2019, of Atty. Velez, it was stated that during the Preliminary Conference, the parties agreed that matters such as libel, blackmailing, and other related cases outside the scope of disciplinary proceedings would have to be considered in the proper venue. [7] Accordingly, the issues before the IBP were limited to the following: (a) whether the filing of pleadings by the Atty. Domingo et al. before the Regional Trial Court ( RTC ) inimical to the interests of Unilever, without its knowledge and conformity and after the engagement as counsel had already been terminated, constitutes misconduct on the part of Atty. Domingo et