CEBU CITY — The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) - Cebu City Chapter has issued a call to local lawyers to bolster their notarial practices to prevent fraud and other malpractices. This initiative follows recent findings of irregularities during a surprise inspection of notarial services in the vicinity of Cebu City Hall.
According to Philippines News Agency, president of IBP-Cebu City, the appeal was made after concerning observations by Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Marlon Jay Moneva and 2nd Vice Executive Judge Anacleto Debalucos. "We urge all notaries to review their practices in light of these observations and enhance their compliance with the 2004 Rules on Notarial Practice and the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability," Hernaez told the Philippine News Agency.
The unexpected inspection led by Moneva, who chairs the Task Force Honesto Notario, uncovered several practices that compromised the integrity of notarial acts. The task force's findings included the presence of 'barkers' soliciting notarial services inappropriately and notaries who failed to ensure the personal appearance of signatories before providing seals.
Other violations noted during the inspection were the failure to verify the identities of signatories, allowing aides to sign documents instead of the notary, and discrepancies between the registered and actual places of business.
Moneva's office issued a statement asserting that each erring notary public has been documented and that appropriate actions are expected to be taken. Moneva also committed to conducting similar inspections periodically to ensure ongoing compliance with notarial standards.
Hernaez emphasized the local IBP chapter's commitment to supporting initiatives that promote professional standards, accountability, transparency, and public trust, aligning these efforts with the Supreme Court’s Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovation.