Carmen M. Orozco vs. Salvador N. Beltran

Republic of the PhilippinesSUPREME COURT

SECOND DIVISION

A.M. No. 1814 April 13, 1978

CARMEN M. OROZCO, complainant, ATTY. SALVADOR N. BELTRAN, respondent.

R E S O L U T I O N

 

AQUINO, J.:

Carmen M. Orozco, a retired professor of the University of Santo Tomas, filed on September 26, 1977 a verified complaint against Atty. Salvador N. Beltran. She alleged that the respondent, as the lessee of her apartment at 58 Seattle Street, Cubao, Quezon City, committed numerous infractions of the lease contract and thereby evinced no respect for the law which he had sworn to uphold.

The respondent in his comment of October 28, 1977 explained that the charge should be ventilated in an ejectment suit or in an appropriate civil case and not in an administrative proceeding. He recounted the circumstances surrounding his lease of the apartment as well as the legal services which he had rendered to the complainant.

The respondent in his pleading of January 24, 1978 manifested that he would vacate complainant's apartment the next day. The complainant is now in possession of the apartment.

In her letter of March 4, 1978 she stated that this case should be considered closed. However, she prayed that the respondent be ordered to pay her the sum of P5,000 as back rentals, refund of payment for shares of stock and refund of legal fee. That relief cannot be granted in this administrative case. Complainant's remedy lies in a civil action against the respondent.

WHEREFORE, this case is considered terminated.

SO ORDERED.

Fernando (Chairman), Barredo, Antonio, Concepcion and Santos, JJ., concur.