Salient Features of The Notarial Law
Salient Features of The Notarial Law
Salient Features of The Notarial Law
1. Salient features of theNOTARIAL LAW & the 2004 Rules Legal ethics Atty.
JFL Risonar
2. A.M. No. 02-8-13-SC (2004 Rules on Notarial Practice) The Notarial Law
(cf. provisions of the Revised Administrative Code)Relevant provisions
3. The Notarial Law is explicit on the obligations and duties of notaries
public. They are required to certify that the party to every document
acknowledged before them has presented the proper residence certificate
(or exemption from the residence tax); and to enter its number, place of
issue and date as part ofsuch certification.BASES: 251 of the Revised
Administrative Code
4. They are also required to maintain and keep a notarial register; to enter
therein all instruments notarized by them; and to give to each instrument
executed, sworn to, or acknowledged before [them] a number
corresponding to the one in [their] register [and to state therein] the page
or pages of [their] register, on which the same is recorded.BASES: 246 of
the Revised Administrative Code.
5. See: Protacio v. Mendoza, 395 SCRA 10, 17, January 13, 2003. Failure
to perform these duties would result in the revocation of their commission
as notaries public.BASES: 249 of the Revised Administrative Code
6. (c) to foster ethical conduct among notaries public. (b) to simplify,
clarify, and modernize the rules governing notaries public; and (a) to
promote, serve, and protect public interest;Purpose of the 2004 Notarial
Rules:
7. (5) must not have been convicted in the first instance of any crime
involving moral turpitude. (section 1, Rule 3 AM 02-18-13-SC.) (4) must be
a member of the Philippine Bar in good standing with clearances from the
Office of the Bar Confidant of the Supreme Court and the Integrated Bar of
the Philippines; and (3) must be a resident in the Philippines for at least
one (1) year and maintains a regular place of work or business in the city
or province where the commission is to be issued; (2) must be over
twenty-one (21) years of age; (1) must be a citizen of the
Philippines;Who may be a Notary public?
8. Form &
(d) three (3) passport-size color photographs with light
background taken within thirty (30) days of the application. The
photograph should not be retouched. The petitioner shall sign his name at
the bottom part of the photographs. (section 2, Rule 3 Ibid.) (c) proof of
payment for the filing of the petition as required by these Rules; and (b)
certification of good moral character of the petitioner by at least two (2)
executive officers of the local chapter of the Integrated Bar of the
Philippines where he is applying for commission; (a) a statement
19. Recent case: Judge Laquindanum versus Atty. Nestor Q. Quintana (A.C.
No. 7936)Q: May a lawyer notarize documents beyond the territorial
jurisdiction of the commissioning court that issued his commission?Q2:
may such lawyer, allow his spouse to do notarial acts in his absence?
20. the Supreme Court, thru an en banc decision rendered on June 29,
2009 additionally imposed the penalty of revoking the lawyers notarial
commission and disqualified him from discharging duties as a notary public
for an additional period of two years NO.HELD:
21. Finally, Atty. Quintana is personally accountable for the documents
that he admitted were signed by his wife. He cannot relieve himself of
liability by passing the blame to his wife. He is, thus, guilty of violating
Canon 9 of the Code of Professional Responsibility, which requires lawyers
not to directly or indirectly assist in the unauthorized practice of law.
Since the public is deceived into believing that he has been duly
commissioned, it also amounts to indulging in deliberate falsehood, which
the lawyers oath proscribes. The act of notarizing documents outside
ones area of commission is not to be taken lightly. Aside from being a
violation of Sec. 11 of the 2004 Rules on Notarial Practice, it also partakes
of malpractice of law and falsification.Ruling:
22. (2) is not personally known to the notary public or otherwise identified
by the notary public through competent evidence of identity as defined by
these Rules. (1) is not in the notarys presence personally at the time of
the notarization; and (b) A person shall not perform a notarial act if the
person involved as signatory to the instrument or document Other
prohibitions
23. (c) is a spouse, common-law partner, ancestor, descendant, or relative
by affinity or consanguinity of the principal within the fourth civil degree.
(b) will receive, as a direct or indirect result, any commission, fee,
advantage, right, title, interest, cash, property, or other consideration,
except as provided by these Rules and by law; or (a) is a party to the
instrument or document that is to be notarized;A notary public cannot
notarize a document if s/he:
24. (c) in the notarys judgment, the signatory is not acting of his or her
own free will. (b) the signatory shows a demeanor which engenders in the
mind of the notary public reasonable doubt as to the formers knowledge of
the consequences of the transaction requiring a notarial act; and (a) the
notary knows or has good reason to believe that the notarial act or
transaction is unlawful or immoral; A notary public shall not perform any
notarial act described in these Rules for any person requesting such an act
even if he tenders the appropriate fee specified by these Rules if:Other
prohibited acts
25. HELD: acknowledgments must be made before a notary public who
shall certify that the person acknowledging the instrument is known to him
and that he is the same person who executed it and acknowledged that the
same is his free Q: May a lawyer notarize a document (Waiver and
Quitclaim) w/o the party appearing before him?Bon vs. Atty. Ziga and
Arcangel act and deed.
26. Santuyo vs. Atty. HidalgoQ: may a lawyer notary public delegate to his
secretary the task of filling up his notarial register?HELD: Respondent
lawyer is negligent in his practice of tolerating the secretary of their law
office to handle the aforementioned notarial activities. For having wholly
entrusted the preparation and other mechanics of the document for
notarization to the secretary there can be a possibility that even the
respondents signature which is the only one left for him to do can even be
done by the secretary or anybody for that matter.
27. HELD: where the notarization of a document done by a member of the
Philippine Bar at a time when he has no authorization or commission to do
so, the offender may be subjected to disciplinary action and also
constitutes a violation of the lawyers oath to obey the laws, more
specifically the Notarial Law. Q: What is the effect is a lawyer notarizes
documents despite the expiration of his notarial commission?SLU vs. Atty.
Dela Cruz