FACTS: The respondent Atty. Luis Tagorda, a member of the provincial board of Isabela, admits that in the last general elections he made use of a card written in Spanish and Ilocano, which in translation, read as follows:
“LUIS B. TAGORDA” Attoney; Notary Public; CANDIDATE FOR BOARD MEMBER, Province of Isabela. (NOTE.- as notaty public, he can execute for a deed of sale for the purchase of land as required by the cadastral office, can renew lost documents of your animals; can make your application and final requisites for your homestead; and can execute any kind of affidavit. As a lawyer he can help you collect your loans although long overdue, as well as any complaint for or against you. Come or write to him in his town Echague, Isabela. He offers free consultation, and is willing to help and serve the poor.)
The respondent further admits that he is the author of a letter addressed to a lieutenant of barrio in his home municipality written in Ilocano, which letter reads as follow:
“ I would like you all to be informed of this matter for the reason that some people are in the belief that my residence as member of the Board will be in Iligan and that I would then be disqualified to exercise my profession as lawyer and as notary public. Such is not the case and I would make it clear that I am free to exercise my profession as formerly and that I will have my residence here in Echague, I would request your kind favor to transmit this information to your barrio people in any of your meeting or social gatherings so that they may be informed of my desire to live and to serve with you in my capacity as lawyer and notary public. If the people in your locality have not as yet contracted the services of other lawyers in connection with the registration of their land titles, I would be willing to handle the work in court and would charge only three pesos for every registration.”
HELD: Application is give to se. 21 of the Code of Civil Procedure, as amended by Act NO. 2828, providing “ The practice of soliciting cases at law for the purpose of gain, either personally or through paid agents or brokets, constitutes malpractice, “ and to Canon 27 and 28 of the Code of Ethics adopted by the American Bar Association in 1908 and by the Philippines Bar Association in 1917, to the case of the respondent lawyer. The law is a profession and not a business. The solicitation of employment by an attorney is a ground for disbarment or suspension.
- Respondent Tagorda is suspended from the practice of law for 1 month.
- For advertising his services in the Sunday Tribune respondent attorney is reprimanded.
