A.1.

a. For maintaining several notarial registers and for notarizing a Verification of a client residing
abroad, he violated the following provisions of the Rules on Notarial Practice of 2004:

- Section 1(b), Rule VI which provides that a Notary Public shall keep only one active
notarial register at any given time; and

- Section 2(b), Rule IV which states that a person shall not perform a notarial act if the
person involved as signatory to the instrument or document is not in the notary’s presence
personally at the time of the notarization; and is not personally known to the notary public or
otherwise identified by the notary public through competent evidence of identity as defined by
the Notarial Rules.

b. Yes, Atty. A may also be held liable under the Code of Professional Responsibility for
violating the Rules on Notarial Practice of 2004. He erred as a lawyer when he failed to observe
his functions as a notary public. He has disregarded his oath when he disobeyed the law and its
legal processes, and have engaged in an unlawful, dishonest, immoral, and deceitful conduct.
Thus, he violated Canon 1 and Rule 1.01 which state:

CANON 1 - A lawyer shall uphold the constitution, obey the laws of the land and promote
respect for law and legal processes.

Rule 1.01 - A lawyer shall not engage in unlawful, dishonest, immoral or deceitful conduct.

c. The phrase “competent evidence of identity” refers to the identification of an individual based
on:

(a) at least one current identification document issued by an official agency bearing the
photograph and signature of the individual; or 

(b) the oath or affirmation of one credible witness not privy to the instrument, document or
transaction who is personally known to the notary public and who personally knows the
individual, or of two credible witnesses neither of whom is privy to the instrument,
document or transaction who each personally knows the individual and shows to the
notary public documentary identification.