Pasig judge sacked for unethical conduct

MANILA, Philippines - A Pasig judge was dismissed from service after the Supreme Court found she had violated the rules of judicial ethics.

The SC said Pasig Municipal Trial Court Branch 69 Judge Julia Reyes waived her right to answer the complaints against her when she fled the country in December 2004.

In the same month, the SC suspended her after the administrative complaints were filed against her.

Courts records show Reyes faced five consolidated administrative complaints filed by a state prosecutor, private litigants and her own staff.

The SC forfeited all of Reyes’ retirement benefits and barred her re-employment in any branch of the government, including government-owned or controlled corporations.

“Members of the judiciary are expected to be fearless in their pursuit to render justice, to be unafraid to displease any person, interest or power, and to be equipped with moral fiber strong enough to resist the temptations lurking in their office,” read the SC decision.

“Unfortunately, respondent judge failed to resist the temptations of power which eventually led her to transgress the very law she swore to protect and uphold.”

The SC found Reyes guilty of gross ignorance of the law or procedure when she ordered the arrest of her clerk of court Timoteo Migrino and three private persons – Andree Lagdameo and Florencio Sebastian Jr. and his wife Alicia – after they were caught playing cards and gambling in a court during lunch break on Oct.1, 2004.

A security aide of Reyes arrested Migrino, along with deputy sheriff Joel Agliam and Dandy Liwag.

When the three were ordered released by another judge after they posted bail, Reyes filed another case for malversation of public funds and qualified theft against Migrino. Three days later, she ordered Migrino arrested after accusing him of committing 2,330 acts of contempt of court.

For playing cards in court premises, the SC fined Migrino an amount equivalent to one month’s salary.

Lagdameo, a complainant in a physical injuries case, also experienced the same treatment from Reyes, who ordered him arrested on Dec. 7, 2004 for complaining about the successive postponement of promulgation of his case.

The Sebastians were arrested on Feb. 18, 2004 for their failure to attend a court hearing in October 2003, which they were not told about. They were also complainants in a falsification of public document case.

The Court also found merit in the complaint of court employees against Reyes.

She was accused of “residing in chambers, borrowing money from staff, instructing stenographer to collect a minimum amount for ex-parte cases, frequently bringing some of her staff to nighttime gimmicks, unethical conduct, conduct unbecoming of a lady judge, unfriendliness to litigants, anti-public service, enable to control emotions during hearing, uttering invectives in front of staff and lawyers, conducting staff meeting in an unsightly attire and laziness.”

“Being a dispenser of justice, Judge Reyes, a lady judge at that, should have demonstrated finesse in her choice of words,” read the SC decision. “The use of vulgar and curt language does not befit the person of a judge who is viewed by the public as a person of wisdom and scruples.”

The SC also considered the complaint of Assistant City Prosecutor Romana Reyes for grave abuse of authority, grave misconduct and violation of judicial conduct against Reyes, who ordered her arrested in October 2004 without any reason.

The complaints against Reyes were consolidated and referred to the evaluation of retired Justice Romulo Quimbo, who recommended her dismissal from the service.