Purisima forfeits P250,000, censured

It was an apology worth P5 million.

For saying "sorry" to his colleagues and to the entire nation, beleaguered Supreme Court (SC) Justice Fidel Purisima avoided ouster from the tribunal and saved himself some P5 million in retirement pay and other pecuniary benefits.

He will lose, however, half of his P500,000 fee as chairman of last year's Bar Examinations Committee.

Accepting his apology, the Supreme Court en banc opted to merely censure him for failing to promptly disclose his relationship to a Bar examinee and for "breach of duty and confidence."

For candidly admitting his "error of judgment," Purisima will also be allowed to gracefully bow out of public service on Oct. 27, his 70th birthday.

It was the first time in 99 years that the High Court imposed a sanction on one of its members for impropriety.

During a press conference in Baguio City last Tuesday, a teary-eyed Purisima expressed his wish to stay in his post until his retirement comes as a matter of course.

Resuming its session in Baguio City, the High Tribunal took cognizance of Purisima's explanation on why he did not immediately reveal that a nephew took last year's Bar.

"Mr. Justice Purisima admitted the lapse which he considered as an 'error of judgment,' and for this reason, expressed his deepest apology to the Court," the SC resolution signed by 14 justices stated.

The Tribunal issued a separate resolution providing for the creation of a "Special Study Group on Bar Examinations Reforms" tasked, among other things, to recommend guidelines on the disqualification of the chairman and members of the Bar Examinations Committee, including the effects of late disclosure of "impermissible interest or relationship with examinees."

Justice Ameurfina Melencio-Herrera was designated head of the special panel with Justices Jose Feria and Camilo Quiason as members.

The special body was also authorized to recommend additional guidelines for admission to the Bar examinations, including the discontinuance of the practice of conditional admission.

The 15-member Tribunal held a special session in Baguio City to discuss the Purisima controversy.

Purisima, who has been relieved of his post as chairman of the 1999 Bar Examinations Committee, was excluded from the deliberations.

Purisima told his peers that it was only last January when he learned that his nephew, Mark Anthony Purisima, a son of elder brother Judge Amante Purisima, was one of the examinees.

He claimed the last time he met Mark Anthony was in August last year during the 70th birthday party of Mark's father in Quezon City.

Purisima recalled that during the party, one of the guests inquired if it was not improper for a relative to take the tests while he was the chairman of the examinations committee.

Brushing aside the clamor for him to resign immediately to maintain the integrity of the Court and the Bar, Purisima asserted he felt he deserved to be allowed to serve his full term. "All these years, I have not been administratively charged for malfeasance, misfeasance or any other irregularity. I deserve to continue my term until October.

"I did not do anything to favor anybody. I did not leak any information to anybody. I don't want to destroy myself after so many years in public service," Purisima said.