Judge fined P20T for not paying debt

A judge in financial constraints who borrowed money from a subordinate, but reportedly didn't have plans to pay back her obligation was slapped by the Supreme Court with a fine of P20,000.

The High Court ruled that Judge Jesusa Maningas be fined P20,000 for securing a P15,000-loan from court employee Estifana Arellano, who is engaged in money-lending activities with fellow court workers.

Arellano claimed that Maningas, who was then a clerk of court in Manila, obtained a loan from her but failed to settle it and just convinced her to forget all about it as she would help her get a promotion.

Arellano, however, did not escape sanctions since the SC also slapped her with a fine equivalent to her six months salary upon finding out that she charged 10 percent interest on her borrowers. The fine would be deducted from her leave and retirement benefits.

Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban said under the Civil Service law, lending money at usurious interest rates is prohibited.

The issue started when Arellano on April 16, 2002 slapped a fellow court employee named Cristita Orfila inside the office of Maningas for non-payment of debt.

Assistant clerk of court Jennifer Buendia investigated Arellano's actuation, but Arellano accused Maningas and Buendia of demonstrating impartial favor to Orfila.

Orfila refused to come up an amicable settlement with Arellano that prompted her to file an administrative case before the Supreme Court and another criminal case before the prosecutor's office in Manila.

Arellano retaliated by filing a case for falsification of official documents against Orfila.

Arellano accused Orfila of falsifying her court records by making it appear that she was born on October 8, 1942 in Carigara, Leyte when she wasn't.

Orfila's marriage contract showed that when she was married on November 29, 1956 she was already 22 years old. Thus she must have been born in 1934 and should have compulsory retired in 1999.

But Orfila died before the Supreme Court resolved her case only last February 13 where she was found guilty for falsification of official documents and was meted forfeiture of all of her retirement benefits.