mercado vs security bank full case

8/12/2019 Mercado vs Security Bank Full Case

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JOSE TEOFILO T. MERCADO and MA.AGNES R. MERCADO, Petitioners,

- versus-

SECURITY AN! CORPORATION,Respondent.

G.R. No. "#$%%&

T'e di(nit) o* t'e Co+rt an neer e /roteted 0'ere in*ration o* et'is 1eets 0it' o1/2aen) rat'er t'an

/+nis'1ent.T'e /eo/2e s'o+2d not e (ien a+se to rea3 *ait' t'at a 1a(istrate is t'e e/ito1e o* 'onor a1on(st

1en.To /resere its di(nit), a o+rt o* 4+stie s'o+2d not )ie2d to t'e assa+2ts o* disres/et.

Inidenta2 to t'e /resent /etition *or reie0 on ertiorari is t'e onte1/t /roeedin(s a(ainst /etitioner Jose Teo*i2o T.Merado arisin( *ro1 'is 2etter dated Otoer "5, 6$$%, insin+atin( t'at7 (1)t'e /onente s++1ed to t'e 8tre1endo+s/ress+re o* C'ie* J+stie 9i2ario G. Daide, Jr. in den)in( 'is /etition: (2) t'e Se+rit) an3 Cor/oration, res/ondent*inaned t'e /onente8s trae2 to t'e United States: and (3)t'e /onente (ae res/ondent a 8(o si(na2 to se22 'is /ro/ert).

T'e *ats are as *o22o0s7

On Dee1er "6, 6$$;, Jose Teo*i2o T. Merado and Ma. A(nes R. Merado, /etitioners, *i2ed 0it' t'is Co+rt a Petition

*or Reie0 on Certiorari assai2in( t'e Co+rt o* A//ea2s (a)Deision dated Ma) 6trinsi *ra+d sine t'ro+(' t'e sa1e o+nse2, t'e) atie2) /+rs+ed and reoered

1ora2 da1a(es and attorne)8s *ees.F+rt'er1ore, ass+1in( t'at /etitioners8 o+nse2 re*+sed to *i2e a 1otion *o

reonsideration 0it' t'e tria2 o+rt, sti22, t'e) 'ad t'e o/tion to ter1inate 'is series and 'ire anot'er: and t'at t'e)

s'o+2d not 'ae 0aited *or *o+r @% )ears e*ore *i2in( t'e /etition *or ann+21ent o* 4+d(1ent.


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On J+ne e+tion o* itsDeision in *aor o* res/ondent an3.In *ine, t'is Reso2+tion s'o+2d no0 0rite finis to t'e instant ase.

Petitioners *i2ed a seond 1otion *or reonsideration +t 0as denied *or ein( /ro'iited.

On Otoer "5, 6$$%, /etitioner Merado 0rote C'ie* J+stie 9i2ario G. Daide, Jr. statin( t'at7

On Mar' 6%, 6$$%, t'e T'ird Diision, in its Reso2+tion, (ranted o+r Motion *or Reonsideration and een (ae

d+e o+rse and reinstated o+r /etition.+t 0'en I reeied t'e Reso2+tion dated J+ne


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coincidence %s the saying goes, *when there is smoke, there is fire" Anot'er oinidene, e*ore t'ereei/t o* t'e Reso2+tion dated J+ne /erts in *ariation o* *ats and in 1is2eadin( t'e o+rts.I 'ae a *ee2in( t'att'e) 1i('t as 0e22 'ae 2ed )o+ to e2iee so1et'in(, 0'i' is not tr+e. 8lease dont be an instrument of their

$ic!ed schemes, lest the Supreme Court itself becomes their means to perpetrate in-ustice" T'is is t'eon2) an3 0'i' is not interested in a1ia2e sett2e1ent in s/ite o* 1) seera2 sinere o**ers o* a1ia2esett2e1ent sine t'e ase 0as *i2ed in "& +/ to 6$$;, and t'ese are a22 in 0ritin( and d+2) reeied )SC.Un*ort+nate2), a22 1) o**ers 0ere re4eted ) t'e1.

I 0rote )o+ t'is 2etter as a 2ast resort ea+se 1) *a1i2) and I 2oo3ed +/ at )o+ e*ore as t'e 1ost 'onest and+/ri('t C'ie* J+stie.As 0e 0o+2d 2i3e to 3no0 i* )o+ rea22) 'ad interened and /+t /ress+re, as t'e Ponente saidto Att). Bi22an+ea, @1) o+nse2 to *aor SC ea+se i* )o+ did, t'en 0e rest o+r ase. 8lease enlighten usbefore $e see! another forum to see! redress the in-ustices, sleepless nights, humiliation and

embarrassment $e suffered"I* 0e are 0ron( ao+t )o+, and I 'o/e 0e rea22) are 0ron(, /2ease ae/t o+ra//ea2 *or *or(ieness and a/o2o(ies.GOD is 1) 0itness, t'at 0'at I 'ae to2d )o+ is t'e tr+t'.Mr. C'ie* J+stie, t'e Fi2i/ino /eo/2e 3no0 'o0 re2i(io+s )o+ are.P2ease do 0'at a re2i(io+s 1an o+('t to do inserin( 4+stie.P2ease 2ie +/ to o+r, as 0e22 as 9IS e>/etations. @E1/'asis s+//2ied

On Noe1er 6, 6$$%, C'ie* J+stie Daide re=+ired Merado8s 2a0)er, Att). Jose P. Bi22an+ea, to o11ent on t'e

2etter and s'o0 a+se 0') 'e s'o+2d not e 'e2d in onte1/t o* o+rt.'anro2esirt+a22a02irar)


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On Noe1er "/2anation

0') Merado s'o+2d not e 'e2d in onte1/t o* Co+rt.

For 'is /art, Att). Bi22an+ea s+1itted a o11ent, stron(2) den)in( Merado8s a22e(ations in 'is 2etter.9e denied 'ain(

to2d /etitioners t'at t'eir /etition 'ad to e denied a(ain 8because there was a tremendous pressure from the Chief

Justice in favor of Security Ban Corporation.9e a2so stressed t'at t'ere 0as no orre2ation et0een t'eponente!s tri/ to

t'e United States and 'is tri/ to London.9e e>/2ained t'at 'e and 'is *a1i2) 0ent to London to attend t'e (rad+ation o*

'is da+('ter, C'errie1a)a Be2oso Bi22an+ea.To s+stantiate t'is, 'e s+1itted a /'otoo/) o* 8London S'oo2 o*

Eono1is @LSE and Po2itia2 Siene Presentation Cere1onies8 0'ere t'e na1e o* 'is da+('ter, C'errie1a)a Be2oso

Bi22an+ea, is 2isted as one o* t'e s+ess*+2 (rad+ates.9e 2i3e0ise s+1itted a /'otoo/) o* 'is /ass/ort indiatin( 'is

de/art+re *or London on J+2) "%, 6$$% and 'is arria2 in t'e P'i2i//ines on J+2) 6


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On Ma) "5, 6$$&, J+stie Da+dao s+1itted 'is Inesti(ation, Re/ort and Reo11endation. 9e *o+nd Merado 8guilty

of improper conduct tending to bring the authority and the administration of -ustice by the Court into disrespect

$hen he openly belittled, degraded, and embarrassed the ighest Court of the land, particularly the Chief

Justice:::.9o0eer, 'e 'e2d t'at 8there $as no sho$ing that he acted $ith malice and;or in bad faith or that he

$as properly motivated"T'+s, 'e reo11ended t'at Merado be fined in the sum of five thousand pesos

(8


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T'e Reso2+tion o* t'e T'ird Diision o* t'is Co+rt dated Se/te1er "&, 6$$% den)in( Merado8s 1otion *or

reonsideration is 0e22 e>/2ained.A /rini/2e a21ost re/eated to satiet) is t'at 8 an action for annulment of -udgment

cannot and is not a substitute for the lost remedy of appeal .A /art) 1+st 'ae *irst aai2ed o* a//ea2, a 1otion *o

ne0 tria2 or a /etition *or re2ie* e*ore an ation *or ann+21ent an /ros/er.Its oio+s rationa2e is to /reent t'e /art)

*ro1 ene*itin( *ro1 'is ination or ne(2i(ene.A2so, t'e ation *or ann+21ent o* 4+d(1ent 1+st e ased eit'er on (a)

e>trinsi *ra+d or (b)2a3 o* 4+risdition or denia2 o* d+e /roess. 9ain( *ai2ed to aai2 o* t'e re1edies and t'ere ein( a

2ear s'o0in( t'at neit'er o* t'e (ro+nds 0as /resent, t'e /etition 1+st e dis1issed.4nly a disgruntled litigant $ould

find such legal disposition unacceptable"

Merado e0ai2s t'e denia2 ) t'e T'ird Diision o* 'is /etition t'ro+(' a 1ere Min+te Reso2+tion and a*ter reinstating

the petition.A//arent2), 'e *inds t'e Co+rt8s 1anner o* denia2 and 'an(e o* 'eart +n+s+a2 and asts sinister +ndertone

to t'e1.

In (n Re Laureta,0e r+2ed t'at t'e Co+rt is not 8duty=bound to render si(ned deisions a22 t'e ti1e. It 'as a1/2e

disretion to *or1+2ate deisions andor 1in+te reso2+tions, /roided a 2e(a2 asis is (ien de/endin( on its ea2+ation o*

a ase.In t'e sa1e ase, 0e 'e2d t'at 8the recall of a due course 4rder after a revie$ of the records of the case is a

common occurrence in the Court.Li3e t'e res/ondents in t'e said ase, Merado s'o+2d not t'in3 t'at it is on2) 'is

/etition 0'i' 'as een s+4eted to s+' rea22.

T'e T'ird Diisioninitia22) denied Merado8s /etition ea+se it is a//arent on its *ae t'at t'e Co+rt o* A//ea2s

o11itted no reersi2e error in dis1issin( 'is /etition *or ann+21ent o* 4+d(1ent.Considerin( 'is 1otion *o

reonsideration a22e(in( t'at t'e A//e22ate Co+rt 1ere2) re2ied on te'nia2 r+2es o* /roed+re and t'at 'is *or1er

o+nse2 o11itted (ross ne(2i(ene, t'e T'ird Diisiontoo3 t'e 1ost /r+dent o+rse ) reinstatin( t'e /etition.No0

a*ter onsiderin( t'e /etition and t'e o11ent t'ereon, t'e T'ird Diision 0as onined t'at, indeed, t'e A//e22ate

Co+rt did not o11it an) reersi2e error.Is t'is irre(+2arT'e ans0er is a reso+ndin( 8no. +he reinstatement of a

petition does not guarantee that it $ill be subse>uently granted" 4ther$ise, the filing of comment and

subse>uent pleadings $ould be an e:ercise in futility"

No0, in a id to esa/e 2iai2it) *or onte1/t, Merado ino3es *reedo1 o* s/ee' and /ria) o* o11+niation.

ra2a0?e are not /ers+aded.

A /erson 'ar(ed 0it' onte1/t o* o+rt *or 'is +tteranes 0'i' 2ear2) onstit+te onte1/t 1a) not ordinari2) esa/e2iai2it) ) 1ere2) ino3in( t'e onstit+tiona2 (+arant) o* *reedo1 o* s/ee'.Liert) o* s/ee' 1+st not e on*+sed 0it'

a+se o* s+' 2iert).?'en 'e attri+ted t'ose onte1/t+o+s re1ar3s to C'ie* J+stie Daide and t'eponente, Merado

a+sed s+' 2iert).9is state1ents ast as/ersions to t'eir re/+tation and inte(rit) and reate a distr+st to t'e J+diiar).

T'e *at t'at Merado8s 2etter 0as addressed on2) to t'e C'ie* J+stie does not rinse it o* its onte1/t+o+s 'arater.In

(n Re Laureta, 0e r+2ed t'at 2etters addressed to indiid+a2 J+sties, in onnetion 0it' t'e /er*or1ane o* t'eir 4+diia

*+ntions eo1e /art o* t'e 4+diia2 reord and are a 1atter o* onern *or t'e entire o+rt.


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Aordin(2), 0e 'o2d Merado (+i2t) o* indiret onte1/t o* o+rt.

Setion ;, R+2e ed ) t'e o+rtand to e 'eard ) 'i1se2* or o+nse2, a /erson (+i2t) o* an) o* t'e *o22o0in( ats 1a) e /+nis'ed *or indiret

onte1/t7>>>>>>d" %ny improper conduct tending, directly or indirectly, to impede, obstruct, or degrade theadministration of -ustice:>>>>>>

As *or Att). Bi22an+ea, 0'i2e J+stie Da+dao did not ate(oria22) state t'at 'e @Att). Bi22an+ea to2d Merado t'at

C'ie* J+stie Daide e>erted 8tre1endo+s /ress+re on t'e ponente, t'e reason 0') t'e /etition 0as dis1issed *or t'e

seond ti1e, 'o0eer, 0e are in2ined to e2iee t'at Att). Bi22an+ea (ae s+' in*or1ation to Merado.Not on2)

t'at,Att). Bi22an+ea a2so reea2ed t'e na1e o* t'eponente: t'at 'e and t'eponente'ae 3no0n ea' ot'er sine "#%

and t'at t'eponente0o+2d e at t'e 0a3e o* 'is 1ot'er, t'+s7

A*ter a are*+2 and onsientio+s e>a1ination o* t'e eidene add+ed in t'e instant ase, t'e +ndersi(nedinesti(ator is *+22) onined t'at it 0as on2) t'ro+(' Att). Bi22an+ea t'at /etitioner o+2d 'ae 2earned or3no0n t'e na1e o* t'eponentein t'e ase.

As et0een /etitioner and Att). Bi22an+ea, t'e +ndersi(ned inesti(ator in in2ined to (ie 1ore redene to t'etesti1on) o* /etitioner. Not on2) 0as /etitioner onsistent, *ir1, and andid and detai2ed in 'is testi1on), +t 'e

0as a2so a2e to orroorate 'is 2ai1s, ) s+1ittin( 'is diar) 0'i' ontained ita2 entries and ) /resentin(t'e testi1on) o* 'is ne/'e0. >>>

Moreover, it $as admitted by %tty" &illanueva that he and Justice 0utierre9 have !no$n each other since1?@A and that Justice 0utierre9 $as in the $a!e of his mother" +hese admissions tend to strengthen theallegations of petitioner that %tty" &illanueva $as the one $ho told him the name of the ponenteB that%tty" &illanueva told him that he and the ponente are very closeB and that $hen petitioner attended the

$a!e of %tty" &illanueva*s mother, he $as told by %tty" &illanueva that Justice 0utierre9, the ponente,$as coming.

R+2e "&.$# o* Canon "& o* t'e Code o* Pro*essiona2 Res/onsii2it) states t'at 8a la$yer shall not state or imply that he

is able to influence any public official, tribunal or legislative body" .urther, 5ule 1/etation r+12ed.T'is /ro1/ted 'i1 to '+r2 +n*o+nded, 1a2iio+s, and disres/et*+

a+sations a(ainst C'ie* J+stie Daide and t'eponente.


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?e 'ae re/eated2) ad1onis'ed 2a0)ers *ro1 1a3in( o2d ass+ranes to t'eir 2ients.A 2a0)er 0'o (+arantees t'e

s+ess*+2 o+to1e o* a 2iti(ation 0i22 e>ert 'ea) /ress+re and e1/2o) an) 1eans to 0in t'e ase at a22 osts.+t 0'en

t'e ase is 2ost, 'e 0i22 2a1e t'e o+rts, /2ain( t'e1 +nder a 2o+d o* s+s/iion.As 0'at 'a//ened in t'is ase, Att)

Bi22an+ea8s state1ents 2ed Merado, not on2) to s+s/et +t a2so to e2iee, t'at t'e entire Co+rt, to(et'er 0it' C'ie

J+stie Daide and t'eponente, o+2d e /ress+red or in*2+ened,

Res/onsii2it) en4oins 2a0)ers to osere and 1aintain t'e res/et d+e to o+rts and t'e 4+diia2 o**iers.Att)

Bi22an+ea8s ond+t, no do+t, de(raded t'e inte(rit) and di(nit) o* C'ie* J+stie Daide and t'eponente and t'is Co+r

as 0e22.

T'+s, 0e *ind Att). Bi22an+ea a2so (+i2t) o* indiret onte1/t o* o+rt.

On t'e a//ro/riate /ena2t), t'e (enera2 r+2e is t'at o+rts 'ae in'erent /o0er to i1/ose a /ena2t) *or onte1/t

reasona2) o11ens+rate 0it' t'e (rait) o* t'e o**ense.And t'at t'e de(ree o* /+nis'1ent *or onte1/t is said to 2ie

0it'in t'e so+nd disretion o* t'e o+rt.Considerin( t'e ir+1stanes otainin( 'erein, 0e e2iee t'at Merado and

Att). Bi22an+ea s'o+2d e *ined P&$,$$$.$$ ea' and 0arned t'at a re/etition o* si1i2ar ats 0i22 0arrant a 1ore seere

/ena2t).

One 2ast 0ord.T'e reason *or t'e in'erent /o0er o* o+rts to /+nis' *or onte1/t is t'at res/et *or t'e o+rts

(+arantees t'e stai2it) o* t'e 4+diia2 instit+tion.?it'o+t s+' (+arantee, t'e instit+tion 0o+2d e restin( on a er) s'a3)

*o+ndation.T'+s, 0e 1+st at to /resere its 'onor and inte(rit) *ro1 assa+2ts o* disres/et.One reason 0') res/et o*

t'e /+2i *or t'e J+diiar) 'as di1inis'ed is ea+se o* +nsr+/+2o+s 2a0)ers 0'o i1/2) t'at 4+d(es and 4+sties an e

in*2+ened or ried.S+' ond+t 'as no /2ae in t'e 2e(a2 /ro*ession.

/D5D.45D, Jose Teo*i2o T. Merado and Att). Jose P. Bi22an+ea are de2ared 0#'+ o* indiret onte1/t oo+rt.T'e) are .#7D6 P&$,$$$.$$ ea' and /%57D6 t'at a re/etition o* si1i2ar ats 0i22 0arrant a 1ore seere

/ena2t).

Let a o/) o* t'is Reso2+tion e atta'ed to Att). Bi22an+ea8s /ersona2 reord in t'e O**ie o* t'e ar Con*idant and

o/ies t'ereo* e *+rnis'ed t'e Inte(rated ar o* t'e P'i2i//ines.

SO ORDERED"


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mercado vs security bank full case

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