Former Court of Appeals justice Sabio dies

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – Retired Court of Appeals (CA) justice Jose Sabio Jr. died the other day at the age of 71 due to a lingering heart complication, Supreme Court (SC) spokesman Midas Marquez said yesterday.

Sabio’s remains lie in state at his residence in Cagayan de Oro City.

Interment will be on April 23 at the Divine Shepherd Memorial Gardens in that city.

The late justice had exposed alleged bribery in a case involving the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) in 2008. Based on Sabio’s exposé, the Department of Justice panel found probable cause to indict businessman-cum-lobbyist Francis de Borja for corrupting public officials and violating the gift-giving edict against government employees and officials.

Sabio, brother of former Presidential Commission on Good Government chairman Camilo Sabio, informed the media that De Borja had offered him some P10 million to side with Meralco against the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).

The SC investigation resulted in the dismissal of Associate Justice Vicente Roxas and suspension of Sabio for two months without pay.

They were found to be guilty of “multiple violations of the canons of judicial conduct, dishonesty, undue interest and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service” and “guilty of simple misconduct and conduct unbecoming a CA justice.” 

“De Borja is definitely not the owner of the P10-million bribe,” Sabio’s camp said in a motion. “It is our interest that the persons who ordered him to approach Justice Sabio be identified.” Born in Cagayan de Oro City on May 25, 1941, Sabio was named to the CA in May 1999 and went on disability retirement in December 2009.

He had served as judge of the regional trial court, Branch 16, Tangub City (March 1990-May 1991); Branch 27, Gingoog City (May 1991-September 1992); and Branch 23, Cagayan de Oro City (September 1992-May 1999).

Sabio was also a professor of law at Xavier University College of Law for 32 years. He taught Political Law Review, Constitutional Law Private Corporations, and Law on Public Officers.  

In 1999, the Xavier University conferred on Sabio the title of Professor Emeritus. 

He also taught at his alma mater Ateneo Law School for 10 years. He handled Pre-Bar and Pre-Week Review in Legal Ethics, Problem Areas in Legal Ethics, Civil Procedure, Criminal Procedure, and Constitutional Law.  

He was also a professorial lecturer at the Philippine Judicial Academy and at the University of the Philippines Institute of Judicial Administration.