SC orders probe vs. 4 judges linked to 'Ma'am Arlene'

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court has ordered an investigation against four judges allegedly linked to an influential court fixer identified as "Ma'am Arlene."

Acting on an initial report of an investigation which started May 2013 and led by Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, the high court issued a resolution dated July 22 ordering the Court of Appeals to probe four regional trial court (RTC) magistrates.

The Supreme Court said Judge Rommel Baybay of the Makati City RTC Branch 132, Judge Ralph Lee of the Quezon City RTC Branch 83, Judge Marino Rubia, Biñan RTC Branch 24 and Judge Lyliha Aquino of Manila RTC Branch 24 may be facing violations of laws and rules in the conduct of the elections of officers under the Philippine Judges Association.

Previous reports said "Ma'am Arlene" influenced the October 2013 elections of the organization and was even given a seat at the head table.

"The judges shall be investigated individually by different investigating justices," the resolution states. It added that the investigation will be raffled off among the associate justices of the appellate court.

The Court of Appeals magistrates were also ordered to submit a report on the investigation within 90 days from the raffle date.

"The investigation shall be conducted with utmost confidentiality and the report and recommendation shall be directly submitted to the Clerk of Court of the Supreme Court in a sealed envelope," the resolution says.

The Supreme Court will furnish confidential copies of the preliminary findings of the initial investigation.

Lee and Aquino, meanwhile, were also suspended as officers of the Philippine Judges Association, an influential organization within the judicial branch.

Aquino is similarly recalled from her post as acting presiding judge of the Manila RTC Branch 24 and ordered to return to her station in Tuguegarao, Cagayan RTC Branch 4.

The controversy first surfaced when Philippine STAR columnist Jarius Bondoc wrote about a certain Arlene, a figure similar to Janet Lim Napoles who roams the courts and expends lavish gifts in exchange for case-related favors. Napoles, a detained businesswoman, has been tagged as the mastermind in embezzling billions of pork barrel funds from Congress.

"She throws birthday bashes for Appellate Court justices and trial court judges, and bankrolls their family junkets abroad. She is the magistrates’ go-to girl if they need to give an offspring an expensive graduation or wedding gift. She makes them dependent on her, for a reason," Bondoc wrote.