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Lawyer Suspended for Bounced Checks

Respondent Atty. Elerizza Libiran-Meteoro issued several bounced checks to complainants Isidra Barrientos and Olivia Mercado for a pre-existing debt. She also tried to defer criminal charges against her with promises to pay and offered land she did not own in exchange for the bounced checks. The IBP Board of Governors found the respondent violated her oath as a lawyer and rules of professional conduct. The Supreme Court ruled the respondent guilty of gross misconduct for her unlawful and deceitful conduct, and suspended her from practice for six months with an order to pay restitution of P84,000 to the complainant.

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646 views2 pages

Lawyer Suspended for Bounced Checks

Respondent Atty. Elerizza Libiran-Meteoro issued several bounced checks to complainants Isidra Barrientos and Olivia Mercado for a pre-existing debt. She also tried to defer criminal charges against her with promises to pay and offered land she did not own in exchange for the bounced checks. The IBP Board of Governors found the respondent violated her oath as a lawyer and rules of professional conduct. The Supreme Court ruled the respondent guilty of gross misconduct for her unlawful and deceitful conduct, and suspended her from practice for six months with an order to pay restitution of P84,000 to the complainant.

Uploaded by

Lizzy Liezel
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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2.

ISIDRA BARRIENTOS vs. ATTY. ELERIZZA A. LIBIRAN-METEORO


A.C. No. 6408 August 31, 2004

FACTS: Respondent Atty. Elerizza Libiran-Meteoro issued several checks in favor of Isidra
Barrientos and Olivia Mercado (complainants) for the payment of a pre-existing debt. The
checks bounced due to insufficient funds thus charges for violation of B.P. 22 were filed
by Isidra and Olivia. Respondent sent text messages to complainants asking for the
deferment of the criminal charges with the promise that she will pay her debt.
Respondent, however, failed to fulfill said promise. Respondent even tried to give to
complainants a title for a parcel of land in exchange for the bounced checks, but it was
later discovered that the land belonged to someone else, who merely entrusted said title
to the respondent. Thus, a complaint for disbarment was filed against Atty. Elerizza A.
Libiran-Meteoro for deceit and non-payment of debts.

IBP Board of Governors Ruling: Respondent violated not only her oath as a lawyer
but also Rule 1.01, Canon 1 of the Code of Professional Responsibility. Atty. Elerizza A.
Libiran-Meteoro is hereby SUSPENDED from the practice of law for six (6) months and
Restitution of P84,000.00 to complainant.

ISSUE: WON Atty. Elerizza A. Libiran-Meteoro is guilty of gross misconduct.

RULING: YES.
The Court held that deliberate failure to pay just debts and the issuance of
worthless checks constitute gross misconduct, for which a lawyer may be sanctioned
with suspension from the practice of law. Lawyers are instruments for the administration
of justice and vanguards of our legal system. They are expected to maintain not only
legal proficiency but also a high standard of morality, honesty, integrity and fair dealing
so that the peoples faith and confidence in the judicial system is ensured. They must at
all times faithfully perform their duties to society, to the bar, the courts and to their
clients, which include prompt payment of financial obligations. They must conduct
themselves in a manner that reflects the values and norms of the legal profession as
embodied in the Code of Professional Responsibility. Canon 1 and Rule 1.01 explicitly
states that:
CANON 1 -- A lawyer shall uphold the constitution, obey the laws of the land and
promote respect for law and for legal processes.
Rule 1.01 -- A lawyer shall not engage in unlawful, dishonest, immoral or deceitful
conduct.

The issuance of checks which were later dishonored for having been drawn against
a closed account indicates a lawyers unfitness for the trust and confidence reposed on
her. It shows a lack of personal honesty and good moral character as to render her
unworthy of public confidence. The issuance of a series of worthless checks also shows
the remorseless attitude of respondent, unmindful to the deleterious effects of such act
to the public interest and public order. It also manifests a lawyers low regard to her
commitment to the oath she has taken when she joined her peers, seriously and
irreparably tarnishing the image of the profession she should hold in high esteem. Mere
issuance of worthless checks by a lawyer, regardless of whether or not the same were
issued in his professional capacity to a client, calls for appropriate disciplinary measures.
WHEREFORE, Atty. Elerizza A. Libiran-Meteoro is found guilty of gross misconduct
and is hereby SUSPENDED for six months from the practice of law, effective upon her
receipt of this Decision, and is ordered to pay complainant Isidra Barrientos the amount
of P84,000.00, as balance of her debt to the latter, plus 6% interest from date of finality
of herein decision.

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