Belleza vs Macasa, AC no 7815, July 23, 2009

Facts.
The friend of the petitioner, Chua, referred Atty. Macasa for legal services. The respondent
agreed to take the case for Php. 30,000.00. The petitioner made 3 partial payments on different
occasions and a Php. 18,000.00 for the purpose of posting a bond to secure the liberty of his son.
The petitioner claims that the respondent failed to issue receipts of the said payments. The
petitioner later found out that the respondent did not remit the amount to the court supposed to be
intended for provisional liberty of her son. The petitioner demanded the return of the Php.
18,000.00 several times but the respondent simply did not respond to the request of the
petitioner. The respondent failed to act on the case he agreed beforehand and the petitioner was
forced to avail the services of a PAO lawyer.
Issue
Whether or Not Atty. Macasa grossly neglected his duties for the cause of his client.
Ruling
Yes, the court ruled that the respondent agreed to take the case, the respondent undertook to
defend the case. A lawyer who accepts the cause of a client commits to devote himself to the
case. This includes his time, knowledge, skills, and effort. A lawyer completely accepts
professional inquiry from clients tends to serve clients with competence and diligence. He must
perform his duties arising from such relationship.

A lawyer’s negligence to his obligations may result to delay to the administration of justice and
prejudice the rights of litigant, especially his client. According to the counsel’s actions, the
perspective of ethics and legal profession, a lawyer’s lassitude in carrying out his duties to his
client is both unprofessional and unethical.