Title: Pacita Caalim-Verzonilla complainant vs. Atty. Victoriano G. Pascua Villarama, Jr.

Citation: A.C. No. 6655, October 11, 2011

Fact: Verzonilla filed a complaint seeking the disbarment of respondent Atty. Pascua. She alleged
that Pascua falsified a public document and evades the payment of correct taxes through the use of
falsified documents.
The respondent prepared and notarized two Deeds of Extra-judicial Settlement of the estate of
deceased Lope Caalim. The first deed was in the amount of Php 250,000 and the second deed was
at Php 1,000,000 both having the same identical registration nos., page nos., and book nos. She
alleged that Pascua falsified the signature of the heirs of Lope Caalim to favor the spouses
Mipanga.

Issues:
1. Whether the respondent falsified the documents
2. Whether the respondent has deliberately changed the amount of the deed to defraud the
government.

Ruling:
1. The issue of forgery is still pending in the Civil Case No. 2836-S
2. The respondent violated Rule IV Sec. 4 of the 2004 Rules on Notarial Practice - Refusal to
Notarize
A notary public shall not perform any notarial act described in these Rules for any person
requesting such an act even if he tenders the appropriate fee specified by these Rules if: (a) notary
knows or has good reason to believe that the notarial act or transaction is unlawful or immoral.
Sec. 2 Entries in the Notarial Register (e) The notary shall give each instrument or document
exercised or sworn to or acknowledged before him a number corresponding to one in his register
and shall also state on the instrument or document the pages of register in which the same is
recorded. No blank line shall be left between entries.
The respondent also violated Rule 1.02 of Canon1 of the Code of Professional Responsibility - A
lawyer shall not counsel or abet activities aimed at defiance to the law or at lessening
theconfidence in the legal system.
The respondent was suspended in the practice of law for two years, his notarial commission has
been revoked and denied for reappointment in the period of two years and was warned that any
similar act in the future will be dealt with more severely.