Judges association welcomes move to probe erring judges

Some trial court judges might have issued lopsided decisions in electoral protest cases, the Philippine Judges Association (PJA) said yesterday.

Judge Guillermo Agloro, PJA president, said they welcome the move of election lawyers Romulo Macalintal, Sixto Brillantes Jr., Leila de Lima and Pete Quadra to submit a list of erring judges in electoral protest cases to Chief Justice Reynato Puno.

Agloro, of the Malolos Regional Trial Court, branch 83, said naming the unscrupulous judges will remove doubts on all trial court judges, particularly those in the provinces handling election-related cases.

"At least, we were relieved," he said. "We who are not involved in that particular (irregularity) will be relieved of such statement when the lawyers name names."

Agloro said PJA also strongly supports Puno’s proposal to create a sub-committee that would formulate new rules governing the resolution of electoral protest.

"I hope that an RTC judge can be part of that sub-committee because cases will be handled by us so we should likewise share our experience," he said.

He is "one with the Chief Justice in trying to further improve the judicial system in the country, particularly in the area of election related controversies."

Agloro asked lawyers to understand the plight of judges.

"The lawyers should understand judges because despite the pressure and the requirements that election protest cases must be decided in six months from the time of filing or must be decided in 30 days after the same have been submitted for decision," he said.

Agloro said considering that judges handle many more other important cases, the six-month period is "obviously" not enough.

"We judges manage to keep our head high, and to try to keep our sanity intact in coming out with fair and impartial decisions without necessarily mentioning our other cases of equal importance," he said.