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REPRIMAND

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Re: ANONYMOUS COMPLAINT DATED FEBRUARY 18, 2005 OF

ACOURT PERSONNEL AGAINST JUDGE FRANCISCO C. GEDORIO, JR

A.M. No. RTJ-05-155 M!" 25, 200#

SANDOVAL-GUTIERREZ, J:

FACTS

On February 24, 2005, the Office f the !hief "u#tice recei$e% an

anny&u# 'etter %ate% February 1(, 2005 fr& a curt )er#nne'

%enuncing "u%ge Franci#c !* +e%ri, "r* f the Regina' ria' !urt

-R!., /ranch 12, Or&c !ity, a# a %i#grace t the bench fr beha$ing

un)rfe##ina''y* he 'etter #tate# that "u%ge +e%ri

1* #hut# at an% re)ri&an%# 'ayer#, )er#nne', itne##e#, an%

'itigant# in )en curt

2* %e# nt 3n the ba#ic ru'e# f )rce%ure an% the 'a

* i# crru)t, an% fa$r# t r three 'ayer# becau#e 3u#g &hatag

niya, &eaning they gi$e hi& t ften

4* i##ue% &any cntr$er#ia' r%er#, #uch a# granting bai' t a Mu#'i&

%rug 'r% a'thugh the ca#e a# a##igne% t anther #a'a )re#i%e%

by a ne u%ge an% %irecting that an r%er f arre#t again#t the

6ice Mayr f Pa'&)n be 7ua#he% e$en if n ca#e a# fi'e%

again#t the 'atter in hi# -u%ge#. #a'a

5* a##igning Atty* !'intn Nue$, then R! c'er3 f curt, t rite hi#

r%er# an% %eci#in# an%

8* re)ri&an%e% in )en curt Atty* Ruben !a)ahi, a )ri$ate

)ractitiner, an% Atty* Pa&e'a O'i$er f the Pub'ic Attrney# Office

-PAO.*

!hief "u#tice 9i'ari Da$i%e, "r* referre% the anny&u# 'etter t De)uty

!urt A%&ini#tratr -D!A. :enai%a E'e)a fr %i#creet in$e#tigatin* he

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In$e#tigating ea& fr& the Office f the !urt A%&ini#tratr cn%ucte% a

%i#creet in$e#tigatin an% #ub&itte% a re)rt* "u%ge +e%ri %enie% a''

the accu#atin# again#t hi&*

In a Me&ran%u& %ate% May 4, 2008 fr then !hief "u#tice Arte&i

6* Panganiban, !urt A%&ini#tratr !hri#t)her O* ;c3 rec&&en%e%

that re#)n%ent u%ge be fine% in the a&unt f P10,000*00 fr cn%uct

unbec&ing a u%ge an% be #e$ere'y ADMONI

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c&)'aint, #u))rte% by )ub'ic recr%# f in%ubitab'e integrity* he

in#tant c&)'aint a# in#titute% thrugh the 'a#t &%e*

On the #ecn% i##ue, the !urt fin%# the E$a'uatin Re)rt f the

O!A e''=fun%e%* he In$e#tigating ea& )er#na''y hear% re#)n%ent

u%ge #huting )unyeta at hi# #taff an% #aying, Sino si Clinton? Bakla yon.

when asked by a lady looking for the latter* ;i3ei#e, he in#u'te% "tha&

;)e>, curt inter)reter, by #huting at hi&, Ani&a' 3a, ba3'a 3a*

he tea& ha% the cca#in t ta'3 t Atty* Franci#c 9* E#ca, a

fr&er u%ge* 9e cnfi%e% t the& that he can n 'nger ta3e hi#

-re#)n%ent u%ge. abu#e#, arrgance, an% crru)tin* 9e$er,

accr%ing t !urt A%&ini#tratr ;c3, there i# n e$i%ence t #u#tain the

charge f crru)tin*

On the charge f granting bai' t a Mu#'i& h#e ca#e a# nt

a##igne% t "u%ge +re%ri?# #a'a, #uffice it t #tate that he a#

authri>e% by thi# !urt in it# Re#'utin %ate% A)ri' 8, 2005 t )re#i%e

$er /ranch 5 here the ca#e a# raff'e%*

On the charge f 7ua#hing an r%er f arre#t again#t Pa'&)n

6ice=Mayr !n#tantin u)a, the recr%# #h that thi# &atter i# the

#ubect f an a%&ini#trati$e c&)'aint, %c3ete% a# A*M* O!A IPI N* 05=

2244=R", #ti'' )en%ing e$a'uatin by the O!A*

@e are cn$ince% that "u%ge +e%ri?# actuatin# in the )re&i#e#

cn#titute cn%uct unbec&ing a u%ge* he u#e f inte&)erate 'anguage

i# inc'u%e% in the )r#cri)tin )r$i%e% by

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er%e# )ub'ic cnfi%ence in the u%iciary* hu#, it i# their %uty t a$i% any

i&)re##in f i&)r)riety in r%er t )rtect the i&age an% integrity f

the u%iciary*

hu#, the curt fin%# re#)n%ent u%ge +re%ri gui'ty f cn%uct

unbec&ing f a u%ge, c'a##ifie% a# a 'ight charge un%er

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CYNT$IA AD(INCULA (S ATTY. ERNESTO MACABATA

AC #20), M!*+ #, 200#

C$ICO-NAARIO, J.:

FACTS

!&)'ainant A%$incu'a #ught the 'ega' a%$ice f re#)n%ent

Macabata, regar%ing her c''ectib'e# fr& ueen#ay ra$e' an% ur#*

he t &et in a re#taurant in ue>n !ity t %i#cu## the )##ibi'ity f

fi'ing a c&)'aint again#t ueen#ay becau#e they %i% nt #ett'e their

accunt# a# %e&an%e%* After %inner, re#)n%ent t3 c&)'ainant h&e

an% a# #he a# abut t #te) ut f the car, the re#)n%ent he'% her ar&

an% 3i##e% her n the chee3 an% e&brace% her tight'y*

After a't a &nth, they &et again in

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re#)n%ent?# fee# an% it a# re#)n%ent h u'% a'ay# )ay e$ery

ti&e they u'% eat ut* he I/P i&)#e% a ne &nth #u#)en#in n the

re#)n%ent*

ISSUE

@hether r nt re#)n%ent c&&itte% act# that are gr##'y i&&ra'

r hich cn#titute #eriu# &ra' %e)ra$ity that u'% arrant hi#

%i#bar&ent r #u#)en#in*

$ELD

he !%e f Prfe##ina' Re#)n#ibi'ity frbi%# 'ayer# fr&

engaging in un'afu', %i#hne#t, i&&ra' r %eceitfu' cn%uct* he !urt

)ercei$e# the act f 3i##ing -be#=be#. n the chee3# a# &ere ge#ture#

f frien%#hi) an% ca&ara%erie fr f greeting#, ca#ua' an% cu#t&ary*

he act f re#)n%ent in turning the hea% f the c&)'ainant tar%#

hi&, 3i##ing her n the 'i)# are %i#ta#tefu' but they cannt be cn#i%ere%

a# gr##'y i&&ra'* @hi'e re#)n%ent 3i##e% her n the 'i)#, that a# nt

&ti$ate% by &a'ice* he !urt c&e# t the cnc'u#in becau#e right

after the c&)'ainant e)re##e% her annyance at being 3i##e%, thrugh

a ce''u'ar tet &e##age, re#)n%ent i&&e%iate'y eten%e% an a)'gy t

c&)'ainant* ;i3ei#e, if re#)n%ent ante% t i&)#e hie'f n the

c&)'ainant, he u'% ha$e ch#en a &re #ec'u%e% )'ace here he

cu'% &a3e hi# #eua' a%$ance#* A'' t'%, re#)n%ent# act# are nt

gr##'y i&&ra' nr high'y re)rehen#ib'e t arrant %i#bar&ent r

#u#)en#in*

he c&)'aint i# hereby %i#&i##e%* 9e$er, Macabata i#

REPRIMANDEDt be &re )ru%ent an% cautiu# ith hi# actin# hen

%ea'ing ith hi# c'ient#*

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ATTY. GEORGE C. BRIONES $#* ATTY. JACINTO D. JIMENE

A.C. No. 1 A/* 2#, 200#

AUSTRIA-MARTINEZ, J.:

FACTS

Atty* +erge /rine# c'ai that Atty* "acint "i&ene> an% the 9eir#

engage% again in fru& #h))ing hen Atty* "i&ene>, a# cun#e' fr the

9eir#, fi'e% a cri&ina' c&)'aint an% eecute% an affi%a$it again#t Atty*

/rine# fr re#i#ting an% #eriu#'y %i#beying the R! Or%er %ate% A)ri' ,

2002 hich %irecte% Atty* /rine# t %e'i$er the re#i%ue f the e#tate t

the 9eir# in )r)rtin t their #hare#, )uni#hab'e un%er Artic'e 151 f the

Re$i#e% Pena' !%e*

ISSUES

1. @hether r nt Atty* "i&ene> i# gui'ty f fru& #h))ing*

2. @hether r nt Atty* "i&ene> $i'ate% Ru'e 1G*01 f the !%e f

Prfe##ina' Re#)n#ibi'ity*

$ELD

@9EREFORE, Atty* "acint D* "i&ene> i# fun% 34" f an%

REPRIMANDED fr $i'atin f Ru'e 1G*01 f the !%e f Prfe##ina'

Re#)n#ibi'ity*

1. he !urt agree# ith the O/! that Atty* "i&ene> i# %o4 34" o

o*36 7o//%* Recr%# #h that re#)n%ent, a# cun#e' fr

the heir# f the 'ate ;u> "* 9en#n, fi'e% a #)ecia' ci$i' actin

%c3ete% a# !A=+*R*

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)ay&ent f c&&i##in t c&)'ainant* It i# e$i%ent that there i#

i%entity f )artie# 34 &e*e%4 +!37e7 o !+4o% !%& *ee7

7o34* 9ence, Atty* "i&ene> i# nt gui'ty f fru& #h))ing* he

!urt 'i3ei#e fin%# n fau't n the )art f re#)n%ent in eecuting

an affi%a$it in #u))rt f the cri&ina' c&)'aint a# he'% in

the Santiago ca#e*

2. 9e$er, there i# #ufficient grun% in #u))rt f Atty* /rine#?

c&)'ain that Atty* "i&ene> 9o!4e&the Ru'e 1G*01 f the !%e f

Prfe##ina' Re#)n#ibi'ity an% !7 *e/*6!%&e& o* 9o!4o% o

4e R3e* Recr%# re$ea' that befre re#)n%ent a##i#te% the 9eir#

in fi'ing the cri&ina' c&)'aint again#t herein c&)'ainant, he #ent

%e&an% 'etter# t the 'atter t c&)'y ith the Or%er f "u%ge i)n

t %e'i$er the re#i%ue f the e#tate t the heir# f the 'ate ;u> "*

9en#n* !n#i%ering that Atty* /rine# %i% nt re)'y t the %e&an%

'etter#, Atty* "i&ene> )te% t fi'e #ai% cri&ina' c&)'aint in beha'f

f hi# c'ient# fr refu#a' t bey the 'afu' r%er f the curt*

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ALE; B. CUETO 9 ATTY. JOSE B. JIMENE, JR.

A.C. No. 5#8 J!%3!*" 20, 2005

CORONA, J:

FACTS

Engr* A'e /* !uet fi'e% an a%&ini#trati$e ca#e again#t Atty*

"i&ene> fr ha$ing $i'ate% the !%e f Prfe##ina' Re#)n#ibi'ity an%

!ann# f Prfe##ina' Ethic# hen he fi'e% a cri&ina' ca#e again#t hi& fr

the c''ectin f the P20,000*00 ba'ance )en%ing hi# ntaria' fee*

After ntari>ing the %cu&ent fr "#e "i&ene> III, the #n f Atty*

"i&ene> an% ner f the bui'%ing, the 'atter %e&an%e% a P50,000 fee fr

#uch #er$ice* abut the 'atter?# un)ai% bi'' fr !uet?# #er$ice#

a# genera' cntractr* De#)ite the a%$ice, Atty* "i&ene> #ti'' %e)#ite% the

chec3, hich a# cn#e7uent'y %i#hnre% fr 'ac3 f #ufficient fun%#*

Mean