WELLINGTON REYES, complainant vs. ATTY. SALVADOR M. GAA, respon ent. A.M. No. !"#$, %&l' !#, !

(() *acts+ ,omplainant reporte to t-e N.I t-at -e -a /een t-e victim o0 e1tortion /' respon ent la2'er. An entrapment 2as set &p /' t-e N.I. ,omplainant 0&rnis-e t-e N.I a3ents several peso /ills 0or mar4in3. T-e paper /ills 2ere sent to t-e *orensic an ,-emistr' Division o0 t-e N.I an s&/se5&entl' ret&rne to complainant 0or t-e &se in t-e entrapment. ,omplainant 2ent to t-e respon ents o00ice an t-erea0ter -an e to respon ent t-e mar4e mone' 2-ic- -e place in -is poc4et. T-e N.I a3ents t-en appre-en e respon ent an /ro&3-t -im to t-e N.I *orensic an ,-emistr' Division 0or e1amination. Respon ent6s -an s 2ere 0o&n positive o0 t-e 'ello2 0lorescent po2 er applie earlier to t-e mar4e mone'. T-e N.I recommen e t-e prosec&tion o0 respon ent 0or violation o0 Section 78/9 o0 R.A. No. 7"!( an recommen e to t-e Secretar' o0 %&stice t-e 0ilin3 o0 a ministrative c-ar3es an t-e instit&tion o0 is/arment procee in3s a3ainst -im. In -is ans2er to t-e complaint 0or is/arment, respon ent asserte t-at complainant s&rreptitio&sl' plante t-e mar4e mone' in -is poc4et 2it-o&t -is 4no2le 3e an consent. In a resol&tion ate Decem/er :7, !(;!, t-is ,o&rt resolve to re0er t-e is/arment case to t-e Solicitor General 0or investi3ation, report an recommen ation. <o2ever, &pon t-e a option o0 R&le !7(=. o0 t-e Revise R&les o0 ,o&rt., t-e case 2as trans0erre to t-e I.> .oar o0 Governors 0or investi3ation an isposition. On Marc- !), !((7, ,ommissioner Vicente ?. Ro1as o0 t-e ,ommission on .ar Discipline o0 t-e I.> recommen e t-at respon ent /e is/arre . Sai recommen ation 2as approve /' t-e I.> .oar o0 Governors in its resol&tion ate Marc- :@, !((#. Iss&e+ W-et-er or not t-e recommen ation approve /' t-e I.> .oar o0 Governors is correctA R&lin3+ Yes. W-ere t-e miscon &ct o0 a la2'er as a 3overnment o00icial is o0 s&c- a c-aracter as to a00ect -is 5&ali0ication as a la2'er or to s-o2 moral elin5&enc', t-en -e ma' /e iscipline as a mem/er o0 t-e /ar on s&c- 3ro&n . T-ee1tortion committe /' respon ent constit&tes miscon &ct as a p&/lic o00icial, 2-ic- also constit&tes a violation o0 -is oat- as a la2'er. T-e la2'er6s oat- , imposes &pon ever' la2'er t-e &t' to ela' no man 0or mone' or malice. T-e la2'er6s oat- is a so&rce o0 -is o/li3ations an its violation is a 3ro&n 0or -is s&spension, is/arment or ot-er isciplinar' action