A.C. No. 7828 - JUDGE ALDEN V. CERVANTES, COMPLAINANT, VS. ATTY. JUDE JOSUE L. SABIO. D E C I S I O N - Supreme Court E-Library

Ruling

accordingly recommended that respondent be fined in the amount of P5,000 , with a stern warning that a repetition of the same or similar act will be dealt with more severely. The Board of Governors of the IBP, by Notice of Resolution, [12] informs that on November 22, 2007, it adopted the following Resolution adopting and approving with modification the Report and Recommendation of the Investigating Commissioner, viz : RESOLVED to ADOPT and APPROVE, as it is hereby unanimously ADOPTED and APPROVED, with modification , the Report and Recommendation of the Investigating Commissioner of the above-entitled case, herein made part of this Resolution as Annex "A"; and, finding the recommendation fully supported by the evidence on record and the applicable laws and rules, and considering Respondent's violation of Canons 10, 11 and 12 and Rule 11.04 of the Code of Professional responsibility for filing a groundless suit against complainant, Atty. Jude Sabio is hereby REPRIMANDED with Stern Warning that a repetition of the same or similar act will be dealt with more severely. (Emphasis in the original) The Court finds the action taken by the IBP Board of Governors well taken. Respondent ought to be aware that if a court official or employee or a lawyer is to be disciplined, the evidence against him should be substantial, competent and derived from direct knowledge, not on mere allegations, conjectures, suppositions, or on the basis of hearsay. [13] No doubt, it is this Court's duty to investigate the truth behind charges against judges and lawyers. But it is also its duty to shield them from unfounded suits which are intended to, among other things, harass them. WHEREFORE , respondent, Atty. Jude Josue L. Sabio, is FINED in the amount of Five Thousand (P5,000) Pesos, with a warning that a repetition of the same or similar questioned act will be dealt with more severely. SO ORDERED.