A.C. NO. 6678 - JOCELYN A. SAQUING, COMPLAINANT, VS. ATTY. NOEL A. MORA.DECISION - Supreme Court E-Library

Ruling

Accordingly, disbarment should not be decreed where any punishment less severe - such as a reprimand, suspension, or fine - would accomplish the end desired. [16] In Joson v. Baltazar , [17] the Court suspended a lawyer for three months for unauthorized notarization of a deed of sale. Considering, however, that in the instant case, it was only an Acknowledgment Receipt that was notarized; that it was done to protect the complainant; that it was the first offense of the respondent; and the heavy workload of the respondent as Public Attorney, we find the recommended penalty of reprimand sufficient under the present circumstances. WHEREFORE , in view of the foregoing, Resolution No. XVII-2006-238, dated April 27, 2006, of the IBP Board of Governors which adopted and approved the report and recommendation of Investigating Commissioner Lolita A. Quisumbing, finding respondent Atty. Noel A. Mora GUILTY of violating Rule 1.01, Canon 1 of the Code of Professional Responsibility for notarizing an acknowledgment receipt without a notarial commission and recommending that he be REPRIMANDED with warning that repetition of the same act will be dealt with more severely, is AFFIRMED . SO ORDERED.