Lawyer sued by 2 former clients

CEBU, Philippines - Two former clients of a lawyer have filed administrative charges against him before the Integrated Bar of the Philippines for allegedly failing to pay the remaining amount of the money they are supposed to receive after winning a labor case.

In their complaint, Leonora Cabanes and Wilfredo Bardenas said they engaged the legal services of lawyer Marlon Cabilan in their case before the Office of the Department of Labor and Employment and the National Labor Relations Commission.

Cabanes and Bardenas said that Cabilan charged them 25 percent in the DOLE case while 30 percent in attorney’s fees has been charged for the NLRC case. Both of the cases have been decided in 2005 and 2008 respectively.

In the NLRC case, Bardenas was awarded the amount of P39,000 but the check was allegedly withdrawn by Cabilan’s secretary Globalyn Abellar after he was asked to sign a special power of attorney supposedly to facilitate the release of the award.

Bardenas said that he did not receive the full amount of the check from Cabilan who allegedly paid him in installments and with an unpaid balance of P13,000.

According to Bardenas, Cabilan allegedly got mad and refused to pay the balance.

In the DOLE case, Cabanes and Bardenas were rewarded the amount of P578,000 to be taken from the proceeds of the sale of properties of their former employer.

But only some of the properties were sold at public auction in the amount of P302,200, which was allegedly received by Cabilan and was not turned over to them.

Cabilan allegedly admitted that he spent the amount for personal use but promised to pay full as soon as all the items will be sold but Cabanes and Bardenas have received nothing despite their several demands.

This prompted them to file the complaint against Cabilan before the Integrated Bar of the Philippines. — Jasmin R. Uy/LPM (THE FREEMAN)