A.C. No. 1302, A.C. No. 1391, A.C. No.

1543; 30 June 2008

Constancia I. Valencia, Complainant, vs.

Atty. Dionisio C. Antiniw, Respondent

LEONARDO-DE CASTRO, J.:

___________________________

FACTS:

Record shows that respondent was disbarred and his name stricken off the Roll
of Attorneys on April 26, 1991 for malpractice in falsifying a notarized deed of sale and
subsequently introducing the same as evidence for his client in court.

From 1993 to 2002, the respondent filed several motions and appeals for
reinstatement to the bar. His motions and appeals were accompanied by endorsements
of his good moral character by various organizations such as IBP-Pangasinan Chapter;
Executive Judges of the Regional Trial Courts of Lingayen and Urdaneta, Pangasinan;
Provincial Prosecutors’ Association of Pangasinan; Provincial Board of Pangasinan;
Rotary Club of Urdaneta; and past National President of the IBP.

Hence, this appeal for reinstatement to the bar.

ISSUE:

Whether or not the respondent should be readmitted to the practice of law.

HELD:

Yes. Records shows that the long period of respondent’s disbarment gave him
the chance to purge himself of his misconduct, to show his remorse and repentance,
and to demonstrate his willingness and capacity to live up once again to the exacting
standards of conduct demanded of every member of the bar and officer of the court.
During respondent’s disbarment for more than fifteen (15) years to date for his
professional infraction, he has been persistent in reiterating his apologies and pleas for
reinstatement to the practice of law and unrelenting in his efforts to show that he has
regained his worthiness to practice law, by his civic and humanitarian activities and
unblemished record as an elected public servant, as attested to by numerous civic and
professional organizations, government institutions, public officials and members of the
judiciary.

Moreover, it is well-settled that the objective of a disciplinary case is not so much

to punish the individual attorney as to protect the dispensation of justice by sheltering
the judiciary and the public from the misconduct or inefficiency of officers of the court.
Restorative justice, not retribution, is our goal in disciplinary proceedings. 52

Guided by this doctrine and considering the evidence submitted by respondent

satisfactorily showing his contrition and his being again worthy of membership in the
legal profession, the Court finds that it is now time to lift herein respondent’s
disbarment and reinstate him to the august halls of the legal profession, but with the
some reminder.

The Court lifted the disbarment of DIONISIO C. ANTINIW and allowed to resume
the practice of law.