SC disbars lawyer for identity theft

The Supreme Court (SC) has disbarred a lawyer found to have assumed the identity and academic records of his brother in obtaining a law degree and passing the Bar exams.

In a decision promulgated last Tuesday, the high court ordered the name of Patrick Caronan be stricken off its roll of attorneys.

The SC also cancelled and revoked the identification cards issued to the respondent, whose real name is Richard Caronan, issued by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines as well as the certificates issued to the same by the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education.

It also barred Richard from ever being admitted to the Bar.

The Office of the Court Administrator was directed to circulate in all courts nationwide his photograph with warning of his false assumption of the name and identity of his younger brother.

“Respondent made a mockery of the legal profession by pretending to have the necessary qualifications to be a lawyer. He also tarnished the image of lawyers with his alleged unscrupulous activities, which resulted in the filing of several criminal cases against him,” read the ruling.

The SC issued the ruling upon a complaint against Richard filed by his brother, the real Patrick, in 2013.

It was found during investigation that Richard – who was discharged from the Philippine Military Academy as a cadet – used Patrick’s college transcript of records in entering a law school in Nueva Vizcaya in 1999 and later on passing the Bar exams in 2004.

The real Patrick found out about his brother’s identity theft when he applied for promotion at work and was informed about the criminal record under his name, including cases of gunrunning, illegal possession of explosives and bouncing checks.