VIDEO: Bar Confidant explains disbarment of lawyers

Bar confidant Cristina Layusa explains instances when lawyers may be disbarred at the continuation of the Senate inquiry into the hazing death of University of the Santo Tomas law freshman Horacio "Atio" Castillo III. Layusa also shared the process in which complainants could seek redress either through the Supreme Court or the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.

This after Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri raised the case of some lawyers who were involved in the 1991 hazing death of Ateneo law student Leonardo "Lenny" Villa. Castillo died from injuries he sustained during hazing rites of the Aegis Jvris Fraternity in September.

SOURCE: Bar confidant: Obstruction of justice a ground for disbarment. ABS-CBN News. Posted at Oct 18 2017 03:27 PM. https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/10/18/17/bar-confidant-obstruction-of-justice-a-ground-for-disbarment

AS TO THE GROUNDS FOR DISBARMENT, the Bedrock Doctrine says: "A lawyer shall not engage in unlawful, dishonest, immoral or deceitful conduct." (Rule 1.01 of Canon 1 of the Code of Professional Responsibility)

According to our Supreme Court, a lawyer may be disbarred or suspended for any violation of his oath, a patent disregard of his duties, or an odious deportment unbecoming an attorney. Among the grounds enumerated in Section 27, Rule 138 of the Rules of Court are deceit; malpractice; gross misconduct in office; grossly immoral conduct; conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude; any violation of the oath which he is required to take before admission to the practice of law; willful disobedience of any lawful order of a superior court; corrupt or willful appearance as an attorney for a party to a case without authority to do so. The grounds are not preclusive in nature even as they are broad enough as to cover practically any kind of impropriety that a lawyer does or commits in his professional career or in his private life. A lawyer must at no time be wanting in probity and moral fiber, which are not only conditions precedent to his entrance to the Bar but are likewise essential demands for his continued membership therein. (A.C. No. 6131. February 28, 2005)