By Felipe V Celino
ROXAS CITY, Capiz— The disbarment case filed by a concerned citizen of President Roxas, Capiz against a member of the board of directors of the Capiz Electric Cooperatives (Capelco) was dismissed by the Supreme Court for lack of merit.
In a 7-page decision, the administrative case against Atty. Jovencio James Bereber failed to prove the lawyer-client relationship between the former and complainant Santiago Burgos.
The SC has approved and adapted the “findings of facts, conclusions of law, and recommendation” of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).
The SC added that there is no law that prohibits a Capelco director to practice his law profession.
“This Court is also not inclined to mete out disciplinary punishment on Bereber on the allegation of his supposed lack of ‘delicadeza’ or sense of decency in this case because it is not a legal ground for administrative disciplinary action under the Code of Professional Responsibility (CPR). At best, Bereber can be said to have merely exercised independence of judgment as a lawyer when he defended the interests of other member-consumers of Capelco,” the SC added.
Burgos filed the administrative case when Bereber served as lawyer of the managerial staff of other Capelco directors in a case before the National Electrification Administration (NEA).
