Professional Documents
Culture Documents
651
SECOND DIVISION.
652
652
his family were further freed from the apprehension that Dewey
might be harmed or even killed by the socalled mafia. For such
services, respondent Mutuc is indubitably entitled to receive a
reasonable compensation and this right cannot be occluded by
petitioners pretension that at the time private respondent
rendered such services to petitioner and his family, the former
was also the Philippine consultant of Caesars Palace.
Same Same Same Same Circumstances showing that the
services of respondent Mutuc were engaged by the petitioner.On
the first aspect, the evidence of record shows that the services of
respondent Mutuc were engaged by the petitioner for the
purposes hereinbefore discussed. The previous partial payments
totalling P50,000.00 made by petitioner to respondent Mutuc and
the tenor of the demand letters sent by said private respondent to
petitioner, the receipt thereof being acknowledged by petitioner,
ineluctably prove three facts, viz: that petitioner hired the
services of private respondent Mutuc that there was a prior
agreement as to the amount of attorneys fees to be given to the
latter and there was still a balance due and payable on said fees.
Same Same Generally, an attorney is prohibited from
representing parties with contending position unless with their
consent.Even assuming that the imputed conflict of interests
obtained, private respondents role therein was not ethically or
legally indefensible. Generally, an attorney is prohibited from
representing parties with contending positions. However, at a
653
Petition, 4 Rollo, 9.
654
Rollo, 10.
655
the former for his trips to Las Vegas and the said amount
of P50,000.00 was already sufficient remuneration for his
strictly voluntary services.
After trial, the court a quo rendered judgment ordering
herein petitioner to pay private respondent the sum of
P50,000.00 with interest thereon at the legal rate from the
filing of the complaint on October 4, 1982 and to pay the
costs. All other claims therein of private respondent
and
5
the counterclaim of petitioner were dismissed. On appeal,
said judgment was affirmed by
the then Intermediate
6
Appellate Court on May 9, 1986.
Petitioner, in due time, filed a motion for
reconsideration contending that the Appellate Court
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Sec. 18, Rule 46 and Sec. 7, Rule 51, Rules of Court De la Santa vs. Court of
Appeals, et al., 140 SCRA 44 (1985) Dihiansan, et al. vs. Court of Appeals, et al.,
153 SCRA 712 (1987).
657
657
658
Both the lower court and the appellate court concur in their
findings that there was a lawyerclient relationship
between petitioner and private respondent Mutuc. We find
no reason to interfere with this factual finding. There may
be instances when there is doubt as to whether an
attorneyclient relationship has been created. The issue
may be raised in the trial court, but once the trial court and
the Court of Appeals have found that there was such a
relationship the
Supreme Court cannot disturb such
11
finding of fact, absent cogent reasons therefor.
The puerile claim is advanced that there was no
attorneyclient relationship between petitioner and private
respondent for lack of a written contract to that effect. The
absence of a written contract will not preclude the finding
that there was a professional relationship which merits
attorneys fees for professional services rendered.
Documentary formalism is not an essential element in the
employment of an attorney the contract may be express or
implied. To establish the relation, it is sufficient that the
advice and assistance of an attorney is sought and received
in any matter pertinent to his profession. An acceptance of
the relation is implied on the part of the attorney from his
acting on behalf
of his client in pursuance of a request from
12
the latter.
_______________
10
Rollo, 5255.
11
Vda. de Reyes vs. Court of Appeals et al., 116 SCRA 607 (1982).
12
See C.J.S., 848849, and Hirach Bros. & Co. vs. R.E. Kennington Co.,
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660
14
15
Canon 6, id.
661
661
18
De Guzman vs. Visayan Rapid Transit Co., Inc., et al., 68 Phil. 643
(1939).
662
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