G.R. NO. 169079 - FRANCISCO RAYOS, VS. ATTY. PONCIANO G. HERNANDEZ. D E C I S I O N - Supreme Court E-Library

Ruling

WHEREFORE the Court Resolves that: Respondent is guilty of violation of the attorney's oath and of serious professional misconduct and shall be SUSPENDED from the practice of law for six (6) months and WARNED that repetition of the same or similar offense will be dealt with more severely; Respondent is entitled to attorney's fees in the amount equivalent to THIRTY-FIVE PERCENT (35%) of the total amount awarded [51] to petitioner in Civil Case No. SM-951; and Respondent is to return the amount of Two Hundred Ninety Thousand One Hundred Nine Pesos and Twenty-One Centavos (P290,109.21), [52] which he retained in excess of what we herein declared as fair and reasonable attorney's fees, plus legal interest from date of finality of this judgment until full payment thereof. Let copies of this Decision be entered in the personal record of respondent as member of the Bar and furnished the Office of the Bar Confidant, the IBP, and the Court Administrator for circulation to all courts of the country. SO ORDERED.