FIRST DIVISION
RE: REPORT
ON THE
JUDICIAL
AUDIT CONDUCTED
IN THE
REGIONAL
TRIAL COURTS OF KIDAPAWAN,
BRANCHES
17 AND
23, KABACAN, BRANCHES 16
AND 17,
NORTH
COTABATO
A.M. No. 96-5-169-RTC
May 9, 2003
R
E S O L U
T I O N
YNARES-SANTIAGO,
J.:
For resolution before Us
are the following: (1) A.M. No. 96-5-169-RTC entitled "Re: Report on
the
Judicial Audit Conducted in the RTCs of Kidapawan and Kabacan, North
Cotabato;"
and (2) "Report on the Judicial Audit Conducted in the RTC,
Branch
17, Kidapawan City."
Pursuant to the report
of the Judicial Audit Team of the Office of the Court Administrator,
the
Court issued a Resolution: (1) requiring Judge Rodolfo Serrano of the
Regional
Trial Court of Kidapawan City, Branch 17 to explain the delay in the
disposition
of the Criminal Cases Nos. 1644 and 2179 and Civil Case No. 0271; (2)
requiring
Branch Clerk of Court Gary V. Vergara of the same court to comment on
the
withholding of the true status of Special Civil Action No. SCA-091; and
(3) directing the Office of the Court Administrator to send a Judicial
Audit Team to conduct another audit and physical inventory of cases at
the RTC, Branch 17, Kidapawan City.cralaw:red
In his letter-compliance,
Judge Serrano explained that since his branch was designated as a
special
court for heinous crimes pursuant to Administrative Order No. 104-96,
it
was physically impossible for him to promptly dispose of Criminal Cases
Nos. 1644 and 2179 and Civil Case No. 0271, which were, moreover,
inherited
from his predecessors.cralaw:red
Branch Clerk Vergara
also filed a letter-compliance, informing the Court that he did not
withhold
the true status of Special Civil Action No. SCA-091. In fact, in
his letter dated October 30, 2000, he attached a copy of the decision
of
the said case. He further averred that if ever the said case was
reported as decided on a date earlier than its actual rendition, it was
simply due to inadvertence for which he sincerely apologized.cralaw:red
The Office of the Court
Administrator found respondent Judge guilty of delay in the disposition
of Criminal Cases Nos. 496, 726 and 1890 and Civil Cases Nos. 0246 and
0824, and recommended that he be fined the amount of Five Thousand
Pesos
(P5,000.00), with a stern warning that a commission of the same or
similar
offense in the future would be dealt with more severely. On the
other
hand, the OCA recommended that respondent Branch Clerk be absolved from
any wrongdoing.cralaw:red
We agree with the OCA
that the explanation of respondent Branch Clerk of Court is
well-taken.
It appears that he had no intention to withhold or mislead the Court as
to the actual date of the judgment in Special Civil Action No.
SCA-091.
In the absence of malice or bad faith, no administrative sanctions may
be imposed on him.cralaw:red
We likewise agree with
the OCA that respondent was guilty of gross inefficiency for delay in
the
disposition of cases.cralaw:red
Rule 1.02, Canon 1 and
Rule 3.05, Canon 3 of the Code of Judicial Conduct provide:
Rule 1.02. - A judge
should administer justice impartially and without delay.cralaw:red
Rule 3.05. - A judge
shall dispose of the court’s business promptly and decide cases within
the required periods.cralaw:red
The unreasonable delay
of a judge in resolving a pending incident is a violation of the norms
of judicial conduct and constitutes a ground for administrative
sanction
against the defaulting magistrate.[1]
Justices and judges alike, being paradigms of justice, have been
exhorted
time and again to dispose of the court’s business promptly and to
decide
cases within the required periods.[2]
Delay not only results in undermining the people’s faith in the
judiciary
from whom the prompt hearing of their supplications is anticipated and
expected; it also reinforces in the mind of the litigants the
impression
that the wheels of justice grind ever so slowly.[3]chanrobles virtual law library
Inability to decide
a case within the required period is not excusable and constitutes
gross
inefficiency[4]
warranting the imposition of administrative sanctions on them.[5]
A judge should, at all times, remain in full control of the proceedings
in his branch and should adopt a firm policy against improvident
postponements
- more importantly, he should follow the time limit set for deciding
cases.[6]
If he feels that he could not decide the case within the reglementary
period,
he should ask for a reasonable extension of time to dispose of the case.[7]chanrobles virtual law library
In the case at bar,
there is no showing that respondent Judge requested for an extension of
time to decide the cases. In fact, it was only after receipt of
this
Court’s June 25, 1995 Resolution that he asked for an extension.
The said request was belatedly filed because more than a year had
passed
from the time the ninety-day reglementary period elapsed.cralaw:red
While we agree with
the findings of the OCA, we find the recommended fine of Five Thousand
Pesos (P5,000.00) to be an inadequate sanction considering the enormity
of respondent Judge’s misfeasance. His infraction is aggravated
by
his lack of candor in his disclosure of the actual status of the cases
assigned to his branch, and also by the fact that this case is not
respondent’s
first offense. In Atty. Daniel O. Osumo v. Judge Rodolfo M.
Serrano,[8]
respondent Judge was sanctioned and warned that any subsequent
transgression
he commits would be dealt with more severely. Hence, we hold that
a fine of Twenty Thousand Pesos (P20,000.00) is a more commensurate
penalty.cralaw:red
The judicial audit conducted
in the branch of respondent Judge pursuant to the Court’s Resolution
dated
April 2, 2001 showed that respondent Judge failed to decide and act on
the following cases and incidents:
1) Criminal
Case No. 1398
2) Criminal Case
No.
2123
3) Criminal Case
No.
2151chanrobles virtual law library
4) Criminal Case
No.
2216
5) Criminal Case
No.
2306
6) Criminal Case
No.
2320
7) Criminal Case
No.
2338
8) Criminal Case
No.
2339
9) Criminal Case
No.
2343
10) Criminal Case
No.
2350
11) Criminal Case
No.
2353
12) Criminal Case
No.
2402
13) Criminal Case
No.
2414
14) Criminal Case
No.
2427
15) Criminal Case
No.
2444
16) Criminal Case
No.
2452
17) Criminal Case
No.
2453
18) Criminal Case
No.
2467
19) Criminal Case
No.
2470
20) Criminal Case
No.
2475
21) Criminal Case
No.
2518chanrobles virtual law library
22) Criminal Case
No.
2545
23) Criminal Case
No.
2546
24) Criminal Case
No.
2568
25) Criminal Case
No.
2630
26) Criminal Case
No.
2637
27) Criminal Case
No.
2737
28) Criminal Case
No.
2738
29) Criminal Case
No.
2754
30) Criminal Case
No.
2773
31) Criminal Case
No.
2787
32) Criminal Case
No.
2846
33) Criminal Case
No.
01-96
34) Criminal Case
No.
09-96
35) Criminal Case
No.
17-96
36) Criminal Case
No.
75-96
37) Criminal Case
No.
139-96
38) Criminal Case
No.
140-96
39) Criminal Case
No.
147-96
40) Criminal Case
No.
10-97
41) Criminal Case
No.
12-97
42) Criminal Case
No.
25-97
43) Criminal Case
No.
26-97chanrobles virtual law library
44) Criminal Case
No.
30-97
45) Criminal Case
No.
43-97
46) Criminal Case
No.
44-97
47) Criminal Case
No.
89-97
48) Criminal Case
No.
90-97
49) Criminal Case
No.
99-97
50) Criminal Case
No.
100-97
51) Criminal Case
No.
151-97
52) Criminal Case
No.
03-98
53) Criminal Case
No.
06-98
54) Criminal Case
No.
39-98
55) Criminal Case
No.
41-98
56) Criminal Case
No.
51-98
57) Criminal Case
No.
52-98
58) Criminal Case
No.
55-98
59) Criminal Case
No.
57-98
60) Criminal Case
No.
72-98
61) Criminal Case
No.
73-98
62) Criminal Case
No.
75-98
63) Criminal Case
No.
80-98
64) Criminal Case
No.
124-98
65) Criminal Case
No.
126-98
66) Criminal Case
No.
133-98
67) Criminal Case
No.
188-98
68) Criminal Case
No.
190-98
69) Criminal Case
No.
191-98chanrobles virtual law library
70) Criminal Case
No.
192-98
71) Criminal Case
No.
209-98
72) Criminal Case
No.
214-98
73) Criminal Case
No.
217-98
74) Criminal Case
No.
231-98
75) Criminal Case
No.
242-98
76) Criminal Case
No.
09-99
77) Criminal Case
No.
98-99
78) Criminal Case
No.
128-99
79) Criminal Case
No.
158-99
80) Criminal Case
No.
159-99
81) Criminal Case
No.
170-99
82) Criminal Case
No.
171-99
83) Criminal Case
No.
173-99
84) Criminal Case
No.
241-99
85) Criminal Case
No.
314-99
86) Criminal Case
No.
334-99
87) Criminal Case
No.
385-99
88) Criminal Case
No.
422-99
89) Criminal Case
No.
471-99
90) Criminal Case
No.
472-99
91) Criminal Case
No.
473-99
92) Criminal Case
No.
479-99
93) Criminal Case
No.
487-99chanrobles virtual law library
94) Criminal Case
No.
559-99
95) Criminal Case
No.
586-99
96) Criminal Case
No.
587-99
97) Criminal Case
No.
597-99
98) Criminal Case
No.
10-2000
99) Criminal Case
No.
13-2000
100) Criminal Case
No.
71-2000
101) Criminal Case
No.
72-2000
102) Criminal Case
No.
73-2000
103) Criminal Case
No.
81-2000
104) Criminal Case
No.
121-2000
105) Civil Case
No.
0399
106) Civil Case
No.
0578
107) Civil Case
No.
0641
108) Civil Case
No.
0675
109) Civil Case
No.
0692
110) Civil Case
No.
0785
111) Civil Case
No.
0807
112) Civil Case
No.
0809
113) Civil Case
No.
0852 (857)
114) Civil Case
No.
0862
115) Civil Case
No.
0863
116) Civil Case
No.
0878chanrobles virtual law library
117) Civil Case
No.
0877
118) Civil Case
No.
0879
119) Civil Case
No.
0885
120) Civil Case
No.
0894
121) Civil Case
No.
0899
122) Civil Case
No.
0906
123) Civil Case
No.
1029
124) Civil Case
No.
1065
125) Civil Case
No.
21-99
126) Civil Case
No.
SP-29-97
127) Civil Case
No.
SP-15-98
128) Civil Case
No.
SP-01-2000
129) Civil Case
No.
SP-18-2000
130) Civil Case
No.
MISC-1742
131) Civil Case
No.
MISC-30-99
132) Criminal Case
No.
2650
133) Criminal Case
No.
66-96
134) Criminal Case
No.
131-97
135) Criminal Case
No.
132-97
136) Civil Case
No.
898
137) Civil Case
No.
98-01
138) Civil Case
No.
02-99
139) Civil Case
No.
2000-07
140) Criminal Case
No.
1906
141) Criminal Case
No.
1907
142) Criminal Case
No.
2241chanrobles virtual law library
143) Criminal Case
No.
2301
144) Criminal Case
No.
2625
145) Criminal Case
No.
2749
146) Criminal Case
No.
2884
147) Criminal Case
No.
2954
148) Criminal Case
No.
2983
149) Criminal Case
No.
43-96
150) Criminal Case
No.
102-97
151) Criminal Case
No.
103-97
152) Criminal Case
No.
104-98
153) Criminal Case
No.
238-98
154) Criminal Case
No.
12-99
155) Criminal Case
No.
386-99
156) Criminal Case
No.
387-99
157) Criminal Case
No.
391-99
158) Criminal Case
No.
242-2000
159) Criminal Case
No.
262-2000
160) Criminal Case
No.
275-2000
161) Criminal Case
No.
73-2001
162) Civil Case
No.
2021chanrobles virtual law library
163) Civil Case
No.
1042
164) Civil Case
No.
1043
165) Civil Case
No.
97-17
166) Civil Case
No.
97-23
167) Civil Case
No.
97-27
168) Civil Case
No.
98-13
169) Civil Case
No.
98-17
170) Civil Case
No.
27-99
171) Civil Case
No.
2000-06
172) Civil Case
No.
2000-20
173) Civil Case
No.
2001-09
174) Civil Case
No.
2001-11
175) Special Civil
Action
No. SCA-04-2000
176) Special Civil
Action
No. SCA-01-2001chanrobles virtual law library
177) Civil Case
No.
SP-31-98
178) Civil Case
No.
SP-19-99
179) Civil Case
No.
SP-21-99
180) Civil Case
No.
SP-51-99
181) Civil Case
No.
SP-06-2000
182) Civil Case
No.
SP-08-2000
183) Civil Case
No.
SP-13-2000
184) Civil Case
No.
SP-14-2000
185) Civil Case
No.
SP-25-2000
186) Civil Case
No.
SP-46-2000chanrobles virtual law library
187) Civil Case
No.
SP-08-2001
188) Civil Case
No.
MISC-09-2000
189) Civil Case
No.
MISC-02-2001
190) Criminal Case
No.
211-2001
191) Civil Case
No.
132
192) Civil Case
No.
164
193) Civil Case
No.
2001-12
194) Civil Case
No.
SP-22-2001
195) Civil Case
No.
MISC-18-2001
196) Civil Case
No.
MISC-26-2001
WHEREFORE, in view of
all
the foregoing, Judge Rodolfo M. Serrano is found guilty of gross
inefficiency
and is FINED in the amount of Twenty Thousand Pesos (P20,000.00).
He is directed to DECIDE Civil Cases Nos. 0271 and 0875 within Twenty
(20)
days from receipt of notice, and to DECIDE WITH DISPATCH Criminal Cases
Nos. 496, 726, 1890; Civil Cases Nos. 0246 and 0824.
Further, respondent
Judge is directed to:chanrobles virtual law library
(a)
EXPLAIN why no decision was rendered in the following cases which were
submitted for decision despite the lapse of the mandatory period to
decide
them:
1) Criminal
Case No. 1398
2) Criminal Case
No.
2123
3) Criminal Case
No.
2151
4) Criminal Case
No.
2216
5) Criminal Case
No.
2306
6) Criminal Case
No.
2320
7) Criminal Case
No.
2338
8) Criminal Case
No.
2339
9) Criminal Case
No.
2343
10) Criminal Case
No.
2350
11) Criminal Case
No.
2353
12) Criminal Case
No.
2402
13) Criminal Case
No.
2414
14) Criminal Case
No.
2427
15) Criminal Case
No.
2444
16) Criminal Case
No.
2452
17) Criminal Case
No.
2453
18) Criminal Case
No.
2467chanrobles virtual law library
19) Criminal Case
No.
2470
20) Criminal Case
No.
2475
21) Criminal Case
No.
2518
22) Criminal Case
No.
2545
23) Criminal Case
No.
2546
24) Criminal Case
No.
2568
25) Criminal Case
No.
2630
26) Criminal Case
No.
2637
27) Criminal Case
No.
2737
28) Criminal Case
No.
2738
29) Criminal Case
No.
2754
30) Criminal Case
No.
2773
31) Criminal Case
No.
2787
32) Criminal Case
No.
2846
33) Criminal Case
No.
01-96
34) Criminal Case
No.
09-96
35) Criminal Case
No.
17-96
36) Criminal Case
No.
75-96chanrobles virtual law library
37) Criminal Case
No.
139-96
38) Criminal Case
No.
140-96
39) Criminal Case
No.
147-96
40) Criminal Case
No.
10-97
41) Criminal Case
No.
12-97
42) Criminal Case
No.
25-97
43) Criminal Case
No.
26-97
44) Criminal Case
No.
30-97
45) Criminal Case
No.
43-97
46) Criminal Case
No.
44-97chanrobles virtual law library
47) Criminal Case
No.
89-97
48) Criminal Case
No.
90-97
49) Criminal Case
No.
99-97
50) Criminal Case
No.
100-97
51) Criminal Case
No.
151-97
52) Criminal Case
No.
03-98
53) Criminal Case
No.
06-98
54) Criminal Case
No.
39-98
55) Criminal Case
No.
41-98
56) Criminal Case
No.
51-98
57) Criminal Case
No.
52-98
58) Criminal Case
No.
55-98
59) Criminal Case
No.
57-98
60) Criminal Case
No.
72-98
61) Criminal Case
No.
73-98
62) Criminal Case
No.
75-98
63) Criminal Case
No.
80-98
64) Criminal Case
No.
124-98
65) Criminal Case
No.
126-98
66) Criminal Case
No.
133-98chanrobles virtual law library
67) Criminal Case
No.
188-98
68) Criminal Case
No.
190-98
69) Criminal Case
No.
191-98
70) Criminal Case
No.
192-98
71) Criminal Case
No.
209-98
72) Criminal Case
No.
214-98
73) Criminal Case
No.
217-98
74) Criminal Case
No.
231-98
75) Criminal Case
No.
242-98
76) Criminal Case
No.
09-99
77) Criminal Case
No.
98-99
78) Criminal Case
No.
128-99
79) Criminal Case
No.
158-99
80) Criminal Case
No.
159-99
81) Criminal Case
No.
170-99
82) Criminal Case
No.
171-99
83) Criminal Case
No.
173-99
84) Criminal Case
No.
241-99
85) Criminal Case
No.
314-99
86) Criminal Case
No.
334-99
87) Criminal Case
No.
385-99
88) Criminal Case
No.
422-99
89) Criminal Case
No.
471-99
90) Criminal Case
No.
472-99
91) Criminal Case
No.
473-99
92) Criminal Case
No.
479-99
93) Criminal Case
No.
487-99
94) Criminal Case
No.
559-99
95) Criminal Case
No.
586-99
96) Criminal Case
No.
587-99
97) Criminal Case
No.
597-99
98) Criminal Case
No.
10-2000
99) Criminal Case
No.
13-2000
100) Criminal Case
No.
71-2000
101) Criminal Case
No.
72-2000
102) Criminal Case
No.
73-2000
103) Criminal Case
No.
81-2000chanrobles virtual law library
104) Criminal Case
No.
121-2000
105) Civil Case
No.
0399
106) Civil Case
No.
0578
107) Civil Case
No.
0641
108) Civil Case
No.
0675
109) Civil Case
No.
0692
110) Civil Case
No.
0785
111) Civil Case
No.
0807
112) Civil Case
No.
0809
113) Civil Case
No.
0852 (857)
114) Civil Case
No.
0862
115) Civil Case
No.
0863
116) Civil Case
No.
0878
117) Civil Case
No.
0877
118) Civil Case
No.
0879
119) Civil Case
No.
0885
chan
robles virtual law library
120) Civil Case No.
0894
121) Civil Case
No.
0899
122) Civil Case
No.
0906
123) Civil Case
No.
1029
124) Civil Case
No.
1065
125) Civil Case
No.
21-99
126) Civil Case
No.
SP-29-97
127) Civil Case
No.
SP-15-98
128) Civil Case
No.
SP-01-2000
chan
robles virtual law library
129) Civil Case No.
SP-18-2000
130) Civil Case
No.
MISC-1742
131) Civil Case
No.
MISC-30-99
(b) EXPLAIN
why the pending matters or incidents for resolution in the following
cases
remain unresolved despite the lapse of the mandatory period, to wit:
1) Criminal
Case No. 2650
2) Criminal Case
No.
66-96
3) Criminal Case
No.
131-97
4) Criminal Case
No.
132-97
5) Civil Case No.
898
6) Civil Case No.
98-01
7) Civil Case No.
02-99
chan
robles virtual law library
8) Civil Case No.
2000-07
(c) EXPLAIN why
there
are no further actions or settings in the court calendar in the
following
cases despite the lapse of a considerable period of time:
1) Criminal
Case No. 1906
2) Criminal Case
No.
1907
3) Criminal Case
No.
2241
4) Criminal Case
No.
2301
5) Criminal Case
No.
2625
6) Criminal Case
No.
2749chanrobles virtual law library
7) Criminal Case
No.
2884chanrobles virtual law library
8) Criminal Case
No.
2954
9) Criminal Case
No.
2983
10) Criminal Case
No.
43-96
11) Criminal Case
No.
102-97
12) Criminal Case
No.
103-97
13) Criminal Case
No.
104-98
14) Criminal Case
No.
238-98
15) Criminal Case
No.
12-99
16) Criminal Case
No.
386-99
17) Criminal Case
No.
387-99
18) Criminal Case
No.
391-99
19) Criminal Case
No.
242-2000
20) Criminal Case
No.
262-2000
21) Criminal Case
No.
275-2000
22) Criminal Case
No.
73-2001
23) Civil Case No.
2021
24) Civil Case No.
1042
25) Civil Case No.
1043
26) Civil Case No.
97-17
27) Civil Case No.
97-23
28) Civil Case No.
97-27
29) Civil Case No.
98-13
30) Civil Case No.
98-17chanrobles virtual law library
31) Civil Case No.
27-99chanrobles virtual law library
32) Civil Case No.
2000-06chanrobles virtual law library
33) Civil Case No.
2000-20chanrobles virtual law library
34) Civil Case No.
2001-09
35) Civil Case No.
2001-11
36) Special Civil
Action
No. SCA-04-2000
37) Special Civil
Action
No. SCA-01-2001
38) Civil Case No.
SP-31-98
39) Civil Case No.
SP-19-99
40) Civil Case No.
SP-21-99
41) Civil Case No.
SP-51-99
42) Civil Case No.
SP-06-2000chanrobles virtual law library
43) Civil Case No.
SP-08-2000chanrobles virtual law library
44) Civil Case No.
SP-13-2000chanrobles virtual law library
45) Civil Case No.
SP-14-2000chanrobles virtual law library
46) Civil Case No.
SP-25-2000chanrobles virtual law library
47) Civil Case No.
SP-46-2000
48) Civil Case No.
SP-08-2001
49) Civil Case No.
MISC-09-2000
50) Civil Case No.
MISC-02-2001
(d) EXPLAIN why no
initial
action was taken from the following cases from the time it was raffled
or assigned to his branch, to wit:
1) Criminal
Case No. 211-2001chanrobles virtual law library
2) Civil Case No.
132chanrobles virtual law library
3) Civil Case No.
164
4) Civil Case No.
2001-12
5) Civil Case No.
SP-22-2001
6) Civil Case No.
MISC-18-2001
7) Civil Case No.
MISC-26-2001
(e) DECIDE WITH
DISPATCH
all the cases enumerated in paragraph (a); RESOLVE WITH DISPATCH the
pending
matters or incidents in the cases enumerated under paragraph (b); TAKE
APPROPRIATE ACTION on all of the cases enumerated under paragraph (c)
and
(d); and FURNISH the Court through the Office of the Court
Administrator
with copies of said decision, order or resolution within Ten (10) days
from rendition thereof.chanrobles virtual law library
Branch Clerk of Court
Gary B. Vergara is directed to:
(a)
EXPLAIN
why no report has yet been submitted in Civil Cases Nos. MISC-03-97 and
MISC-08-2000 despite the completion of the ex parte presentation of
evidence
of the petitioners thereon;
(b) SUBMIT a
report
thereon within Ten (10) days from receipt of notice through Judge
Rodolfo
M. Serrano of the same court; and
(c) INFORM
the
Court through the Office of the Court Administrator whether the
decision
had been rendered in the following cases:
1)
Criminal
Case No. 53-97
2)Criminal Case
No.
54-97
3) Criminal Case
No.
55-97
4) Criminal Case
No.
56-97chanrobles virtual law library
5) Criminal Case
No.
57-97chanrobles virtual law library
6) Criminal Case
No.
58-97chanrobles virtual law library
7) Criminal Case
No.
59-97chanrobles virtual law library
8) Criminal Case
No.
60-97
9) Criminal Case
No.
61-97
10) Criminal
Case No.
117-98
11) Criminal
Case No.
02-99
12) Civil Case
No. SP-06-2001
and whether the pending
matters and incidents in the following cases had been resolved, to wit:
1) Criminal
Case No. 01-97
2) Criminal Case
No.
118-97
3) Criminal Case
No.
119-97
4) Criminal Case
No.
120-97
5) Criminal Case
No.
148-97chanrobles virtual law library
6) Criminal Case
No.
130-98chanrobles virtual law library
7) Criminal Case
No.
139-98chanrobles virtual law library
8) Criminal Case
No.
140-98chanrobles virtual law library
9) Criminal Case
No.
141-98
10) Criminal Case
No.
142-98
11) Criminal Case
No.
143-98
12) Criminal Case
No.
144-98
13) Criminal Case
No.
145-98
14) Criminal Case
No.
192-98
15) Criminal Case
No.
121-2001
16) Civil Case No.
98-32
17) Civil Case No.
SP-168
(d)
FURNISH the Court through the Office of the Court Administrator with
copies
of the decision, order or resolution within Ten (10) days from
rendition
thereof
SO ORDERED.cralaw:red
Davide, Jr., C.J.,(Chairman),
Vitug, Carpio, and Azcuna, JJ.,
concur.
____________________________
Endnotes:
[1]
Dysico v. Dacumos, 330 Phil. 834 [1996]; Re: Report on the Audit and
Inventory
of Cases in RTC, Branch 55, Alaminos, Pangasinan, 331 Phil. 43 [1996];
Re: Report on the Judicial Audit Conducted in the Regional Trial Court,
Branches 61, 134 and 147, Makati, Metro Manila, A.M. No. 93-2-1001, 5
September
1995, 248 SCRA 5; Re: Query of Judge Danilo M. Tenerife, 325
Phil.
464 [1996]; Re: Report on the Judicial Audit and Physical Inventory of
the Records of Cases in MTCC, Br. 2, Batangas City, A.M. No.
94-10-96-MTCC,
5 September 1995 248 SCRA 36; Bentulan v. Dumatol, A.M. No. RTJ-93-999,
15 June 1994, 233 SCRA 168; Re: Letter of Mr. Octavio Kalalo, A.M. No.
93-7-1158-RTC, 24 March 1993, 231 SCRA 403 [1993]; Longboan v. Polig,
A.M.
No. R-704-RTJ, 14 June 1990, 186 SCRA 556.
[2]
Sy Bang v. Mendez, A.M. No. RTJ-94-1257, 6 March 1998, 287 SCRA 84, 89,
citing Rule 3.05, Canon 3, Code of Judicial Conduct.
chan roble
[3]
Ibid., p. 90.chanrobles virtual law library
[4]
Re: Report on the Judicial Audit Conducted in the Regional Trial Court,
Branches 61, 134 and 147, Makati, Metro Manila, supra.
[5]
Sanchez v. Vestil, supra, citing OCA v. Judge Walerico Butalid, supra;
see also Grefaldeo v. Judge Lacson, supra.chanrobles virtual law library
[6]
Hernandez v. De Guzman, 322 Phil. 65 [1996].chanrobles virtual law library
[7]
OCA v. Judge Lyliha A. Aquino, A.M. No. RTJ-00-1555, 22 June 2000, 334
SCRA 179, citing Casia v. Gestopa, supra, citing Report on the Judicial
Audit Conducted in the Municipal Trial Court, Sibulan, Negros Oriental,
347 Phil. 139 [1997].chanrobles virtual law library
[8]
A.M. No. RTJ-1607, 3 April 2002. |