In Re Aguas, 1 Phil., 1, August 08, 1901

[No. 12. August 8, 1901.
In the matter of the proceedings against MARCELINO AGUAS for contempt of the COURT OF
FIRST INSTANCE OF PAMPANGA.
1. CONTEMPT of COURT; TREATMENT OF WITNESS.—An attorney may rightfully protest against

personal violence to a witness at the hands of the court, and such protest, if respectful, is not
contempt of court.
2. ID.; FINDINGS OF FACT.—A finding that an attorney's attitude toward the court was "menacing"
is a mere conclusion and will not support a judgment of contempt.
APPEAL from judgment of Court of First Instance of Pampanga finding Attorney Marcelino
Aguas guilty of contempt and suspending him from the practice of his profession for twenty days.
The facts are stated in the opinion.

Claudio Gabriel, for appellant.
Solicitor-General Araneta, representing the respondent.
SMITH, J.:
It appears from the record in this matter that on the 29th of August, 1900, during the progress of
a trial then being held before the Court of First Instance at Bacolor, in the Province of Pampanga,
the court had occasion to caution Angel Alberto, a witness in the case, not to look at the attorney
for the defendant but to fix his attention on the
2
2 PHILIPPINE REPORTS ANNOTATED

In re Aguas
judge who was at the time examining him. It seems that the witness did not give heed to this
warning, and the judge thereupon arose from his seat and approaching the witness, seized him by
the shoulders, and using the expression, "Lingon ang mucha" ("Look at me"), either shook him, as
insisted by the attorney for the defendant, or only turned him about, as claimed by the judge and
others. Whether the witness was shaken or only turned about, at all events "seizing him,"
brought the defendant's attorney to his feet, who, protesting against the action of the judge as
coercive of the witness, demanded that a record be made of the occurrence and that the further
bearing of the case be postponed. Two days afterward the clerk entered in his record a recital of
the incident substantially as above, and also a statement that on other and prior occasions the
attorney, Marcelino Aguas, had been wanting in respect to the court by making use of "improper
phrases," and by interrupting opposing counsel in their examination of witnesses. The court on
this record adjudged the attorney to be in contempt of court and suspended him from the practice
of his profession for a period of twenty days. The attorney appealed, but his appeal having been
disallowed by the lower court, he asked to be heard in justification, which was granted.
On the bearing in justification evidence was taken touching the contempt alleged to have been
committed by Señor Aguas, from which the court found that during the trial of the case of
Roberto Toledo vs. Valeriano Balatbat, the judge, having had occasion to seize the witness,
Alberto Angel, by the shoulders to turn him around, Señor Aguas, attorney for defendant, had
risen from his seat in a "menacing attitude," and "with a voice and body trembling" protested that
the action of the judge was coercive of the witness; and further that his attention being called to
the fact that he was wanting in respect to the court and that he should sit down, he waived his
right to go on with the trial and moved a postponement of the hearing. On this finding the court
again adjudged the attorney guilty of contempt of court, and suspended him from the practice
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VOL. 1, AUGUST 8, 1901 3

In re Aguas
of his profession for a period of twenty days. From this judgment Señor Aguas appealed to this
court.
In our opinion the action of the judge in seizing the witness, Alberto Angel, by the shoulder
and turning him about was unwarranted and an interference with that freedom from unlawful
personal violence to which every witness is entitled while giving testimony in a court of justice.
Against such conduct the appellant had the right to protest and to demand that the incident be
made a matter of record. That he did so was not contempt, providing protest and demand were
respectfully made and with due regard for the dignity of the court. The only question, therefore in
this case is, Was the appellant respectful and regardful of the court's dignity in presenting his
objection and asking that it be recorded in the proceedings? The witnesses say and the judge
finds that "his attitude was menacing" (bastante amenazadora) in the moment of making his
protest, but beyond that there is nothing in the record which even tends to show that he was
disrespectful to the court or unmindful of its dignity. In our opinion both testimony and finding
state a mere conclusion which, in the absence of the facts from which it was deduced, is wholly
valueless to support a judgment of contempt. The statement that the attorney's attitude was
"menacing" tended no more to competently establish the alleged offense of contempt than if the
witnesses had testified and the court had found that his conduct was "contemptuous or lacking in
respect." The specific act from which it was inferred that his attitude was menacing should have
been testified to by the witnesses and found by the court, and failing that, the record does not
show concrete facts sufficient to justify the conclusion that he was disrespectful to the court or
offensive to its dignity.
The judgment appealed from must therefore be reversed, and it is so ordered, with costs de
oficio.
Arellano, C. J., Cooper, Willard., Torres, and Ladd, JJ., concur.

Mapa, J., did not sit in this case.
Judgment reversed.
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In Re Aguas, 1 Phil., 1, August 08, 1901

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[No. 12. August 8, 1901.

1. CONTEMPT of COURT; TREATMENT OF WITNESS.—An attorney may rightfully protest against

The facts are stated in the opinion.

2 PHILIPPINE REPORTS ANNOTATED

VOL. 1, AUGUST 8, 1901 3

Arellano, C. J., Cooper, Willard., Torres, and Ladd, JJ., concur.

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