PJA judges may be summoned in ‘Ma’am Arlene’ probe

MANILA, Philippines - The judges who vied for the top post in the Philippine Judges Association (PJA) during their recently concluded elections may be invited by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for its probe on reports of case fixing in the judiciary by a certain “Ma’am Arlene.”

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima disclosed this yesterday, saying the NBI is pursuing the reported link between Arlene and the PJA election.

“We have to investigate the reported irregularities in that election because it appears from reports that the rivalry of the principal contenders was so strong that some parties resorted to dirty and foul tactics, which are supposed to happen only in political elections,” De Lima said.

Only upon preliminary verification of the identity of Ma’am Arlene and relevant facts will the NBI be able to determine if there is a need to invite the contenders in the PJA elections.

Quezon City regional trial court Judge Ralph Lee won the PJA presidency over Makati City RTC Judge Rommel Baybay and Marikina City RTC Judge Felix Reyes.

De Lima clarified that the NBI has yet to determine the mode of its probe.

“Of course, we have to start with verification and validation of basic facts and information that came out in series of items (in The STAR). We will start from there and we can see the direction of the investigation,” she said.

She added that if the link to the PJA elections would not be established, the NBI would still pursue its probe on the allegations of corruption in the judiciary.

De Lima is set to meet with NBI officer-in-charge Medardo de Lemos today for the composition of the fact-finding team and setting of direction of the investigation. The NBI is under the supervision of the Department of Justice.

The Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) earlier initiated a discreet probe on the issue.

Court Administrator Midas Marquez, who supervises over 2,000 judges in the country, said he traced the charges to a supposed “smear campaign” in the recently concluded PJA elections.

Marquez has sought the explanation of Lee, Baybay and Reyes on the issue.

Reyes has complied with the order and said he was not aware of the supposed smear campaign during the poll. The two other judges have yet to submit their respective comments.

The initial probe of the OCA also pointed to three Ma’am Arlenes who are allegedly known fixers in the courts.

Marquez refused to name them pending verification but disclosed that they are a clerk from the Court of Appeals, a former employee at the Manila regional trial court, and a Manila City Hall employee.

It was Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno herself who requested the NBI to conduct a fact-finding probe on the issue parallel to that of the OCA.

Sereno wants the NBI to determine facts on two matters: possible violation of applicable criminal laws in the recently concluded PJA elections by any or all of the candidates, and the identity of private persons who appear to have unlawfully influenced members of the judiciary in the outcome of specific cases.