AS part of its campaign to cleanse the judiciary of so-called “hoodlum in robes” and erring lawyers, the Supreme Court has dismissed twelve judges and one Sandiganbayan magistrate from service, while a total of 716 lawyers have been penalized for various infractions since 2012.
Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno admitted that while there are corrupt members of the judiciary, the SC has never veered from imposing sanctions on them, such as dismissal from the service, and disbarment for lawyers, among other penalties.
“We are aware that corruption is an obstacle to development. It is a complex problem, which has to be confronted though a variety of independent initiatives to strengthen integrity and prevent opportunities for corruption among members of the judiciary. One flank in this battle against corruption is the Supreme Court’s use of its disciplinary powers,” Sereno said, in her annual judiciary report.
Citing records from the Office of the Court Administrator, Sereno revealed that the Supreme Court has dismissed 12 judges and one Sandiganbayan justice, Gregory Ong.
She said the SC also suspended 13 other judges, fined 88 others, 18 were reprimanded, 31 were admonished and three has their retirement benefits forfeited.
Ong, a senior associate justice of the anti-graft court-was dismissed from the judiciary by the SC due to his links with businesswoman and alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles.
According to Sereno, the SC has also disbarred 31 lawyers, 194 were suspended from the practice of law, 30 suspended from the practice of law and notarial practice, eight suspended from notarial practice, 32 were reprimanded, three fined and reprimanded, 80 were admonished, two censure, six were warned, 313 were fined and warned, 16 ordered arrested and one was ordered dropped and stricken off the roll of attorneys for a total of 716 lawyers since 2012.
She said that for lower court employees, since 2010, 42 were admonished, 35 have their benefits forfeited, two censured, 116 dismissed from service, 240 were fined, 221 were reprimanded and 227 were suspended.
Sereno pointed out that even without formal complaints, they have also initiated motu propio (on their own) investigation.
In addition to undertaking motu propio investigations, I will be proposing more proactive and preventive measures against corruption,” Sereno said.
Recently, Sereno ordered the conduct of an investigation on four judges still active in the judiciary after they were included in the list of personalities by President Rodrigo Duterte for their alleged links to illegal drugs syndicates operating in the country.
The SC has tapped retired Associate Justice Roberto Abad to head the probe.
Covered by the investigation were Judge Exequil Dagala of the MTC in Dapa-Socorro in Siargao Island, Surigao, Judge Adriano Savillo, RTC, Branch 30, Iloilo City, Judge Domingo Casiple, RTC, Branch 7, Kalibo, Aklan, and Judge Antonio Reyes, RTC, Branch 1, Baguio City.
Duterte named seven judges when he announced the list of personalities allegedly involved in the illegal drugs trade but one of them- Judge Roberto Navidad, formerly of the Calbayog City, Samar Regional Trial Court was killed on January 14, 2008 while Judge Lorenda Mupas was dismissed in 2007 as Municipal Trial Court Judge of Dasmariñas, Cavite for gross ignorance of the law.
Another- Judge Rene Gonzales, formerly of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) Branch 7, Iloilo City has been compulsorily retired last June 20.